While Qatar may be gifting the U.S. a $400 million Boeing 747-8 for President Donald Trump to use as Air Force One, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem might be getting a plane, too, having put in a request for a new Gulfstream.
The U.S. Coast Guard made a last-minute change to its 2025 budget to secure a $50 million new plane for Noem.
Lavish spending on jets is something of a touchy subject in Washington, D.C., right now, not only because of the security and ethics issues over the Qatari gift, but also because it could cost $1 billion to retrofit the plane to meet communications and military requirements to transport the commander-in-chief.
Illinois Rep. Lauren Underwood brought up the request for a new jet for Noem during a Wednesday hearing of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security.
“I was horrified last Friday when we received a last-minute addition to your spend plan for Fiscal ‘25 — a new $50 million Gulfstream V for Secretary Noem’s personal travel coming from the Coast Guard budget,” Underwood stated in a session with acting Coast Guard Chief Admiral Kevin Lunday.
“She already has a Gulfstream V, by the way. This is a new one,” the Democrat added.
Underwood pressed Lunday on whether the request for the jet had come from the top levels of the Department of Homeland Security or elsewhere in the Trump administration.
The admiral evaded answering the question, saying: “Meeting the needs of our Coast Guard men and women that are doing frontline operations is my top operational priority, and it’s a top operational priority of the secretary.”
He added: “She’s been clear with that to me, and I know she testified to that effect before the subcommittee last week.”
Lunday argued that the new plane was necessary, explaining that the Coast Guard operates two military long-range command and control aircraft in its fleet, and that the older one is “approaching obsolescence and the end of its service life.”
It’s necessary to replace it as it “provides a crucial service to Coast Guard leaders and to Secretary Noem,” he added.
He explained: “This aircraft is necessary to provide … secure, reliable, on-demand communications and movement to go forward, visit our operating forces conducting the missions, and then come back here to Washington to make sure we can work together to get them what they need.”
Underwood wasn’t satisfied with his answer in that it had not addressed her question.
“I just want to note that I didn’t hear the admiral answer the question about whether he was directed to purchase this new Gulfstream V,” she said. “And I just want to note that as I conclude my time.”
