Fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem went ballistic over claims that her former agency vastly overpaid a political donor's company for five airplanes just hours before she left office.
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she → fire → office
In a furious social media post, Noem demanded that The New York Times “entirely” retract its exposé regarding the last-minute spending spree, which reportedly included $108 million for a luxuriously appointed Boeing 737 that the company bought months earlier from a seller who asked for less than $90 million.
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who → demand → million
Noem's post also said that calling Daedalus Aviation Corp. Chair William Walters a “donor” was “materially misleading” and "conveys a false implication of a direct financial relationship obviously intended to influence official action."
“Numerous times clarifications were made to the journalists responsible for this libelous story,” Noem, now a State Department special envoy to the “Shield of the Americas” security initiative, said Sunday.
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Noem → say → initiative
In a Monday statement to The Independent, an NYT spokesperson said, “We stand by the characterization of the political donor and his firm.”
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We → say → donor
“As our article makes clear, the Department of Homeland Security bought five airplanes from Daedalus at a substantial markup, a deal approved during Ms. Noem's tenure,” NYT spokesperson Nicole Taylor said.
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Taylor → make → tenure
“Daedalus’s chairman is William Walters, who gave $10,000 to the American Resolve political action committee, a group that existed to support Ms. Noem.”
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that → give → Noem
Daedalus Aviation didn't immediately return an inquiry from The Independent, but the company reportedly told the NYT that Walters didn't know the PAC was associated with Noem, even though it featured Noem's image on its website.
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it → return → website
In addition to the converted Boeing 737 — which reportedly features a stand-up bar, two bedrooms, marble showers and a table covered with manta ray skin — DHS paid $106 million for two Gulfstream luxury jets that Daedalus marked up after buying them for $83 million, the NYT said, citing documents it reviewed.
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it → feature → documents
DHS also reportedly paid $45 million each for two 17-year-old Boeing 737 passenger planes, with aviation experts telling the NYT that their typical market value was millions less.
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value → pay → NYT
Noem's successor, Markwayne Mullin, reportedly considered canceling the purchases but didn't do so after speaking with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, who shared his concern about having to pay a hefty penalty for backing out of the deal.
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who → consider → deal
DHS has declined to release a copy of the contract, according to the NYT.
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DHS → decline → NYT
In a statement to The Independent, a DHS spokesperson didn't deny Mullins' reported discussion with Wiles and said, “These planes were purchased prior to Secretary Mullin’s arrival at DHS."
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planes → deny → DHS
A White House official also told The Independent that Noem purchased the planes and confirmed that Mullin sought advice from the White House about canceling the agreement.
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Mullin → tell → agreement
The official said an unspecified termination fee in the contract led the administration to decide that keeping the planes was the most fiscally responsible move.
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keeping → say → planes
In August, the NYT reported that DHS paid Daedalus $464 million for 10 planes during Noem's tenure, which was marked by widespread outrage over the fatal January shootings of anti-ICE protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
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which → report → Minneapolis
The 10 planes, which DHS said were desperately needed for deportation flights, have since largely gone to waste because the agency doesn't have crews to fly them, according to the NYT.
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agency → say → NYT
President Donald Trump announced Noem's firing on March 5, one day after she was asked during a House Judiciary Committee hearing whether she'd engaged in an extramarital affair with top adviser Corey Lewandowski.
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she → announce → Lewandowski
Noem called the question “tabloid garbage” but didn't answer it directly.
Both she and Lewandowski — whom Trump fired as his campaign manager in 2016 and as head of his Make America Great Again Action super PAC in 2021 — have denied rumors of an alleged affair.
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Trump → call → affair
Noem remained a Cabinet member until March 24, when DHS amended its contract with Daedalus to include the purchase of the lavishly customized 737 and the four other planes, according to the NYT.
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DHS → remain → NYT
Under Noem, DHS reportedly awarded more than $900 million worth of contracts to companies led by Walters, including Salus Worldwide Solutions, which was hired to encourage migrants to voluntarily leave the U.S. and to fly Noem and her aides on chartered jets.
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which → award → jets
Sunday's NYT report followed Noem's announcement last week that she was divorcing her husband Bryon Noem, about seven months after the Daily Mail revealed that he paid adult entertainers to chat with him online while he wore giant fake breasts and pink hot pants.
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he → follow → breasts
The practice is part of a sexual fetish called “bimbofication,” and a Noem spokesperson told the Mail at the time that she was “devastated” and “blindsided.”
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she → call → time
Bryon Noem “is saddened that the marriage is ending and hopes for a private and amicable resolution
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marriage → sadden → resolution
,” lawyer Tim Bottum told the Mail last week.
“If court proceedings become necessary, Bryon will welcome the opportunity to truthfully share his perspective,” Bottum added.
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Bottum → tell → perspective
The Aporia
