At a U.S. Senate hearing on Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem faced intense criticism from Senators from both parties over her leadership, public statements, and the Trump administration's immigration strategies.
The session became one of the most contentious of Noem's tenure so far, centering on her response to two fatal shootings by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis earlier this year and broader concerns over enforcement policy.
Senator Dick Durbin, the top Democrat on the Judiciary panel, asked Noem repeatedly about her past characterization of the two Minneapolis victims, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, as "domestic terrorists." Noem refused to withdraw the claim, despite law enforcement accounts and video evidence contradicting her initial remarks. When pressed to explain why she made the designation, Noem said she was relaying information she had received from agents at the scene.
Durbin took a broad swipe at her leadership. "Under your leadership, the Homeland Security Department has been devoid of any moral compass or respect for the rule of law," he said, according to a live update from CBS News. Durbin and other Democrats described a department that has engendered fear in immigrant communities and pressed Noem on whether she had any remorse for her comments about Good and Pretti.
Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse dramatically displayed a photograph of a luxury aircraft cabin with a queen-sized bed, reportedly part of a government Boeing 737 used by DHS. Whitehouse questioned Noem about the aircraft's use and the justification for refurbishing it to include such amenities.
"Can you explain this?" Whitehouse asked, gesturing to the enlarged image of what appeared to be a private jet bedroom. Noem responded that the jets were being used as long-range command-and-control aircraft and claimed the image did not accurately reflect the planes DHS had purchased.
The confrontation over the aircraft tapped into broader reporting that DHS under Noem has sought to acquire luxury jets, including a Boeing 737 with bar and bedroom features, using funds originally designated for deportation missions and other operational priorities, prompting pushback from budget officials and lawmakers alike.
That line of questioning intersected with reports about Noem's alleged personal conduct. Multiple outlets and insiders have detailed rumors of a close personal relationship between Noem and her adviser, Corey Lewandowski, including travel aboard government aircraft and shared accommodations, though both deny any extramarital affair. Those rumors have circulated widely in Washington reporting and were indirectly referenced during the exchange over the jet's use, highlighting how the narrative of events has impacted perceptions of DHS leadership.
But Democrats were not alone in their scrutiny. Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana grilled Noem over a controversial $220 million advertising campaign intended to encourage migrants to depart the United States voluntarily. Kennedy questioned the transparency of the contracting process, noting that firms with political ties were involved and suggesting the campaign had been used for political promotion rather than effective policy implementation.
Republican Senator Thom Tillis warned that he would block future Senate nominations until Noem addressed what he described as stonewalling around investigations and information requests related to immigration operations. Tillis also criticized her handling of hurricane and disaster aid issues, suggesting her leadership had contributed to broader dysfunction within DHS.
