The head of the Department of Homeland Security signed off on the purchase of two private planes that cost four times as much as the amount previously requested, according to a statement from the House Appropriations Committee Democrats.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is spending $200 million on a pair of Gulfstream G700 private jets for the U.S. Coast Guard, despite the fact that an earlier funding request said the service only needed one plane that would cost $50 million.
The New York Times reported the figure was closer to $172 million based on public documents the publication said it accessed from a public government procurement website.
House Appropriations Committee ranking member Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., and Homeland Security Subcommittee Ranking Member Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill., sent a letter to Noem asking for more information about the purchase and chastising her for a misappropriation of funds.
“It appears you are routinely prioritizing yourself and those closest to you over the needs of the USCG servicemembers who protect this nation,” the letter reads.
Noem defended the purchase at a news conference in Sarasota, Florida, on Oct. 20, claiming the jets were necessary for the mission of the U.S. Coast Guard.
“Congress appropriated the dollars and paid for them in the [One] Big Beautiful Bill [Act],” Noem said.
The representatives also asked Noem to clarify whether the Coast Guard, whose funding DHS oversees, was accessing funds other than those included in fiscal 2025 appropriations for the purchase of the jets. The representatives asked Noem to stipulate which other accounts that money might be coming from, and, if so, the amount of money that was being pulled from them for the Gulfstream’s purchase.
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Both questions come amid a government shutdown that resulted in a lapse of appropriations for fiscal 2026.
Military Times reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment and for further details on where the funds for the planes were coming from, among other questions.
“Flippant comments like this are great for clicks and fundraising emails, but don’t reflect the reality of protecting the American people 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year,” said Sean Plankey, senior advisor to the secretary for the Coast Guard, in an emailed statement. “As a member of congressional leadership, and the top democrat on the transportation and infrastructure committee he should know more about this matter than his comments indicate.”
Military Times did not mention Larsen in its query.
During a House Appropriation Subcommittee meeting in May, Adm. Kevin Lunday — the acting commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard — said the service needed a new plane to replace an older one the service had employed for more than 20 years. The service, he said, utilized two separate aircraft, but only one needed replacing.
The focus on Coast Guard funds comes amid recent concerns over the service’s ability to pay its service members in light of the government shutdown.
Noem issued a political jab while announcing the continuance of pay.
“While Democrats have played politics with military pay to fight for illegal aliens, the US Coast Guard has been defending our maritime borders, stopping the flow of deadly narcotics and illegal immigration into our country, and countering America’s adversaries around the world,” Noem said in a statement at the time.
Noem has previously dealt with scrutiny over her use of military resources.
A spokesperson for the DHS at the time said Noem moved into the home at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington amid concerns for her safety after the Daily Mail published photos of Noem’s previous home in Washington’s Navy Yard, potentially doxing her whereabouts.
The paper reported that previous cabinet officials, including those who served under Trump previously, paid for their living arrangements when occupying the space otherwise assigned to top military leaders.
Riley Ceder is a reporter at Military Times, where he covers breaking news, criminal justice, investigations, and cyber. He previously worked as an investigative practicum student at The Washington Post, where he contributed to the Abused by the Badge investigation.
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