Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem found herself on the defensive during a heated Senate hearing when a Democratic lawmaker unveiled a blown-up photo of what appeared to be a bedroom inside a luxury jet she has used for official travel.
The confrontation came from Sheldon Whitehouse during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill.
Whitehouse held up an enlarged image behind him and asked bluntly: “Can you explain this?”
Noem squinted at the poster.
“Sir, I’m looking at a picture of an interior. It looks like a bedroom,” she replied.
“Of an airplane?” Whitehouse pressed.
“Yes, sir.”
“You’re not familiar with that?”
From there, the exchange grew tense.
“These photos are not accurate if you’re referring to the airplanes that the Department of Homeland Security has purchased and are purchasing,” Noem said, pivoting to a rehearsed defense about “long-range command and control aircraft” authorized by Congress.
Whitehouse cut her off.
The image in question — first reported by NBC News — showed a plush private cabin aboard a Boeing 737 MAX, complete with a queen-sized bed, multiple pillows, and a nearby armchair. The jet has reportedly been leased by the Department of Homeland Security and used for cross-country travel.
“Does it have a bedroom in it?” Whitehouse asked again.
“I believe it’s being refurbished in not having a bedroom in it,” Noem said, suggesting the luxury feature was being removed.
The clash comes as Noem has pushed for the outright purchase of the $70 million aircraft, arguing it would save taxpayers “hundreds of millions of dollars” compared to leasing arrangements.
But critics aren’t buying it.
Whitehouse questioned what kind of deportation mission would require a luxury jet outfitted with a private bedroom.
“There are aircraft being purchased that will be utilized for executive air travel and for deportations,” Noem insisted, maintaining that similar-sized planes have been used before.
The issue has drawn additional attention after reporting by The Wall Street Journal revealed that Noem and her adviser Corey Lewandowski have used the 737 MAX for travel. The department previously relied on aircraft from the Coast Guard and other agencies.
Whitehouse cited officials who have described the potential purchase as an abuse of federal funds and even “the world’s worst deal.”
Though he did not address allegations surrounding Noem’s personal use of the jet, the image of a taxpayer-funded aircraft featuring what looked like a flying hotel suite dominated the hearing.
As the exchange ended, one thing was clear: the optics of a luxury bedroom at 30,000 feet are likely to linger far longer than Noem’s explanation.
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