Noem now lives in a house normally reserved for the Commandant of the US Coast Guard—and has tried to buy a luxury jet for her travel needs.
On Thursday afternoon, President Donald Trump relieved Kristi Noem as head of the Department of Homeland Security. The announcement comes after the “ICE Barbie”—so dubbed by her detractors—may have failed to defend her Coast Guard “Dream House” and luxury jet to her unimpressed boss.
What We Know About Noem’s Spending
Last year, Noem moved into “Quarters 1,” a home typically reserved for the top officer of the US Coast Guard, which falls under DHS jurisdiction during peacetime. The spacious waterfront residence at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, DC, is usually where the US Coast Guard commandant resides. Noem, who earned the nickname “ICE Barbie” after repeatedly appearing in coordinated photo ops in a variety of job-related uniforms, fittingly has a “Dream House.”
The DHS head opted to move to Quarters 1 after the UK’s Daily Mail tabloid published photos of her private residence in Washington’s Navy Yard neighborhood, citing security concerns.
“Following the media’s publishing of the location of Secretary Noem’s Washington DC apartment, she has faced vicious doxing on the dark web and a surge in death threats, including from the terrorist organizations, cartels, and criminals gangs that DHS targets,” DHS said in a written statement at the time.
There was some miscommunication along the way.
DHS officials told The Washington Post in August 2025 that the move was temporary, but didn’t provide any timeline for when Noem would move out. (It should be noted that the president is a “temporary” resident in the White House, too.)
The Post, citing another official familiar with the matter, confirmed that Noem paid no rent to live in Quarters 1.
“That’s a departure from how other Cabinet secretaries have handled similar arrangements. Other Cabinet officials, including during both Trump administrations, have paid to use military housing that otherwise would be occupied by top generals and admirals,” the paper explained.
Noem Tried to Explain the Situation—and May Have Made Things Worse
This week, Noem opted to set the record straight while speaking to the House Judiciary Committee, saying she’s not actually living in the commandant’s house.
“Let me clarify a couple of things. I’m not in the commandant’s house. I’m in a Coast Guard House, but not the commandant’s house,” Noem said, adding, “The commandant is in his house.”
She further claimed that she did pay rent for Quarters 1: “Personal dollars to do that.”
It is unclear how long Noem had stayed in Quarters 1, or why it took more than six months for the secretary to confirm that she is now in other Coast Guard housing. No prior DHS secretary had lived in government-provided housing.
Noem’s Travel Spending Also Questioned
As the head of DHS, traveling around the country is expected. That includes visits to the border, meetings with law enforcement, and providing operational oversight, including monitoring TSA security, and coordinating with local, state, and tribal authorities. Due to security concerns, the DHS secretary routinely uses official government transportation.
Noem had regularly used a Coast Guard jet for her travel, but recently requested funds for a new aircraft. The US Coast Guard purchased two Gulfstream G700s, reportedly costing upwards of $200 million, with the intended use of providing secure travel for the secretary and other DHS officials.
In addition, Noem has called for the purchase of a luxury 737 Max—a full-sized commercial plane—equipped with a pair of sleeping quarters with queen-sized beds, a shower, and a full bar. The aircraft is valued at $70 million.
One of the bedrooms would be converted to allow for seating for deportations, two DHS officials told NBC News. That has raised questions about how many individuals could be transported, and “some officials at ICE, which is under DHS, initially deemed the aircraft too luxurious in the way it was outfitted to be used for immigrant deportations.”
DHS has stood by the decision to purchase the aircraft.
“This new plane will serve dual missions—both as ICE deportation flights and for cabinet-level travel,” a DHS spokesperson said in a written statement. “This plane flies at 40 percent cheaper than what the military aircraft flies for ICE deportation flights—saving the American taxpayer hundreds of millions of dollars. This is part of Secretary Noem’s broader efforts to clamp down on inefficiencies and save taxpayer dollars.”
ICE currently uses charter flights rather than military aircraft to conduct deportation flights. NBC News added that military flights cost upwards of 10 times more than charter flights. It is unclear what it would cost to carry any deportees on Barbie’s Dream Airplane.
Given these and other issues, on Thursday, President Donald Trump looked to distance himself from Noem. The former secretary will now be a “Special Envoy” to the “Shield of the Americas” initiative—but what uniform that will require of her has yet to be seen.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines, and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
