Kristi Noem’s Department of Homeland Security is facing accusations of blatant corruption in Congress. Reports indicate that a $220 million advertising campaign went through a newly established company linked to individuals close to Secretary Noem.
Reports indicate that a significant portion of the money was channeled through a Delaware limited liability company formed just days prior to receiving the contract. This company, Safe America Media, quickly became the means for a large ad purchase that critics argue should have undergone standard government contracting procedures.
Democrats claim that the deal’s structure is a carefully crafted workaround, rather than standard government dealings. They argue that DHS used a “national emergency” excuse to avoid competitive bidding, allowing the funds to go through a poorly documented entity while connected individuals stayed mostly hidden.
One of those individuals is the Strategy Group, a consulting firm with strong ties to Noem and senior DHS staff. According to the report, the firm played a hand in creating an ad campaign which featured Noem on horseback near Mount Rushmore despite the fact it does not appear on the official contract. She arrived at Mount Rushmore to shoot a television ad. Sitting on horseback in chaps and a cowboy hat, Noem looked into the camera with a message for immigrants: “Break our laws, we’ll punish you.”
Rep. Jasmine Crockett called out the deal as blatant corruption, directly accusing DHS of stealing from the American people. “This is what corruption looks like,” she said, continuing “They’re stealing money from the American people’s pockets and depositing it into their bank accounts.” Crockett and other House Democrats have demanded communications involving Noem, her aides, the Strategy Group, and the Delaware LLC that received the funds.
Senate Democrats have also asked the DHS inspector general to provide records related to the campaign, stating the following: “The public deserves to know that government officials are not using taxpayer dollars to enrich themselves and their friends at the expense of hardworking Americans.” The paperwork will either seal Noem’s fate or vindicate the deal as Democrats demand answers.
DHS has strongly denied the accusations, maintaining that the contracts were handled “by the book,” under the supervision of career officials, and free from political interference. The department claims that leadership did not influence the choice of subcontractors and that the process followed federal law, even under emergency circumstances.
Complicating matters further, the company is run by the husband of Noem’s chief DHS spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin. McLaughlin says she recused herself from issues involving the Strategy Group. She stated that she did not understand why the firm was chosen and emphasized that she had no role in the decisions related to the campaign.
Strategy Group has played a role in Noem’s 2022 South Dakota gubernatorial campaign, and her alleged lover Corey Lewandowski also has a long history working with the firm. Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill granted DHS more than $150 billion, and Noem seemingly has a lot of control about how the money is spent.
House lawmakers have now officially requested investigations into potential violations of federal laws, asking for emails, contracts, and internal communications to clarify who approved the spending and why. The paperwork trail will help determine if the funds were used to benefit friends and associates instead of serving the public good.
