Kristi Noem swore the $70 million luxury Boeing 737 she bought with taxpayer money was all about deporting immigrants, and now that she’s been fired, the plane — complete with a queen bed, kitchenette and cream leather seats — will be used by Cabinet members and possibly the first lady.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed Wednesday to The Washington Post that the Boeing 737 Max 8, purchased by Immigration and Customs Enforcement before new DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin was confirmed, will be “available to Cabinet members who need secure command and control and rapid long-range mobility.”
The Wall Street Journal reported that White House officials rather than DHS will control who gets to fly on it, and that Melania Trump will be among those with access.
The plane became a flashpoint last month when Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) displayed photos of its interior during a congressional oversight hearing. Noem, visibly flustered, claimed she didn’t recognize the bedroom and insisted it was being refurbished to remove it.
“It’s mandated from Congress,” Noem insisted at the time, arguing the purchase would save taxpayers “hundreds of millions of dollars.”
Noem was ousted shortly after amid mounting scrutiny over her spending habits — including a staggering $200 million contract for ads featuring herself on horseback at Mount Rushmore.
She now holds a newly made-up title: “Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas.”
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