Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is facing renewed scrutiny after Democrats accused her of continuing to live in a taxpayer-funded waterfront Coast Guard residence weeks after leaving office.
The controversy erupted after Representative Robert Garcia sent a sharply worded letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin demanding answers about Noem's living arrangement at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C.
"Kristi Noem got fired in March, and she is still living rent-free in a government home that belongs to the Coast Guard," Garcia wrote in the letter released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee. "Noem must pack her bags and go."
According to Garcia, Noem has continued occupying the high-profile military residence nearly two months after President Donald Trump removed her as DHS secretary and replaced her with Mullin. Democrats argue the arrangement raises questions about the use of taxpayer resources and whether special treatment is being extended to a former Cabinet official.
The home, located on a secure military installation along the Anacostia River, has traditionally been tied to senior Coast Guard leadership. Garcia contrasted Noem's situation with the treatment of former Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda Fagan, who, according to reports cited by lawmakers, was forced to vacate the residence with only a few hours' notice after being removed from her post.
"This same administration threw out the Coast Guard commandant with three hours of notice to make room for Noem," Garcia said in his statement.
Noem moved into the property in 2025 while serving as Homeland Security secretary. At the time, DHS officials said she needed additional security and claimed she was paying fair market rent for the residence. However, Garcia said Congress has not received documentation proving that any payments were made or that the arrangement remains authorized after her departure from DHS.
Noem's tenure at DHS was already controversial before her exit earlier this year. Trump announced in March that he was replacing her with Mullin following mounting criticism tied to agency spending, internal disputes, and congressional hearings.
Garcia is now requesting records from DHS, including lease agreements, payment documentation, and communications regarding Noem's continued use of the government housing. The California Democrat framed the matter as a potential case of "waste, fraud, and abuse" involving federal property.
Neither DHS nor Noem publicly responded in detail to the latest criticism. Previous statements by Noem maintained that she paid for the accommodations personally and did not live in the official commandant's residence, but rather in another Coast Guard-owned property on the base.
The dispute adds another chapter to the ongoing political fallout surrounding one of Trump's most controversial former Cabinet members, whose tenure as DHS director drew repeated scrutiny for immigration operations, spending practices, and her use of government resources.
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