A $70 million luxury jet is drawing renewed attention in Washington after the Trump administration decided to retain the aircraft.
The Trump administration plans to retain the controversial aircraft leased by former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem before her firing last month, with select Cabinet secretaries and First Lady Melania Trump set to have access to it.
The aircraft includes several high-end amenities. According to The Wall Street Journal, the aircraft includes a queen bed, showers, a kitchen, a bar and four televisions, offering more amenities than most government jets.
President Donald Trump is reportedly holding on to a $70 million luxury jet acquired under former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem—and the first lady will get VIP access. https://t.co/2L5SMy6L4a
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) April 7, 2026
A DHS spokesperson and other officials confirmed that while Noem had been leasing the plane with plans to purchase it, they expected that purchase to be canceled following her exit. The Trump administration, however, decided to move forward with the acquisition, officials told The Wall Street Journal.
An ICE official told The Wall Street Journal, “ICE purchased this plane before Secretary [of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin] was confirmed. This aircraft will be available to Cabinet members who need secure command and control and rapid long-range mobility.”
It remains to be seen exactly how often the first lady will use the aircraft. It was not immediately clear whether the plane would serve as Melania’s exclusive mode of travel, or whether other Cabinet secretaries would receive access, or how frequently it would be put to use.
The development highlights Melania Trump’s role within the administration. Though she is rarely seen with Trump in public, spending most of her time in Manhattan and Palm Beach.
Melania’s influence has been felt beyond domestic affairs, too. She made her presence known during Trump’s “peace summit” with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last year, writing a letter urging Putin to consider children affected by Russia’s war in Ukraine. Trump hand-delivered the letter ahead of their meetings, according to reports.
The jet had already drawn scrutiny before Melania Trump’s name was associated with it. During a Senate oversight hearing in March, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), challenged Noem on what kind of deportee “justifies being flown out of the country in a luxury jet with a bedroom and accommodations like this.”
🇺🇸 “What kind of deportee justifies being flown out of the country in a luxury jet with a bedroom and accommodations?”
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is challenged over her initiative to buy a $70 million luxury Boeing 737 Max jet (part of a $300 million fleet) using deportation… pic.twitter.com/8yjQ5Fdm6O
— Europa.com (@europa) March 3, 2026
Noem pushed back, saying the images circulating online were “not accurate” and that she had only been on the plane once, insisting it was being used by other administration officials for command-and-control flights as required by Congress.
While Melania Trump is expected to have access to the jet, Kristi Noem faces ongoing political scrutiny.
Noem was fired as DHS Secretary by President Trump on March 5 after leading the department for more than a year. Trump announced she would instead serve as special envoy for the Shields of America, a new military coalition to combat cartels.
Noem was notably absent from the 2026 White House Easter Egg Roll on April 7, as was recently fired Attorney General Pam Bondi.
The shift highlights the aircraft’s continued role within the administration following Noem’s departure.
