Kristi Noem’s disastrous stint as Homeland Security secretary just got even messier — and now it appears she tried to rope Melania Trump into the mess.
According to Axios, Noem reportedly thought she could shield herself from scrutiny by letting the first lady fly on the same government-leased luxury 737 MAX jet she used to travel with her alleged lover, former White House aide Corey Lewandowski. The plane, intended for high-profile deportations, came equipped with a private cabin and a bar — basically a flying boudoir for the secretary and her aide.
“They’re smart. Corey is really smart. I don’t take that away from them. Because they flew the first lady on it, they think they’re bulletproof,” said an administration source to Axios, calling Melania’s inclusion an “insurance policy” designed to justify the eye-popping $70 million purchase of the plane by DHS.
Noem and Lewandowski reportedly planned a fleet of three luxury jets, totaling $270 million, and had already been under fire for the $220 million ad campaign featuring Noem prominently — ads in which she rode around on a horse in a cowboy hat. That campaign came under scrutiny during congressional hearings, where lawmakers also pressed Noem about her alleged affair with Lewandowski.
Melania, who has spent much of her time away from President Trump in New York, reportedly used the 737 multiple times to travel between D.C. and the city, giving Noem a cover story for her use of the plane. But the move backfired spectacularly. Congressional investigators saw it as a thin attempt to shield her own misconduct, and Noem’s attempts to deflect blame during hearings did nothing to help her standing.
Noem’s tenure officially ended Thursday when Trump announced her firing via Truth Social, immediately appointing Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) as her replacement. Noem was given a seemingly made-up new title — “Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas” — a move insiders say was a last-ditch effort to salvage her reputation.
“She was blaming Miller for a lot. No way Trump lets her stay after that,” said a DHS insider, referring to White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. Between the congressional grilling, the plane scandal, and her alleged affair, Noem’s fall from grace has been swift, messy, and increasingly public.
Now, with Melania Trump dragged into the story, the luxury jet controversy has taken a new turn — one that underscores how far Noem was willing to go to protect herself, and how spectacularly her cover-up attempts have collapsed.
But it gets worse. With multiple investigations and controversies swirling, Noem now faces allegations of lying under oath and funneling millions of taxpayer dollars to a media company linked to her associates.
