Public service is supposed to be about duty, not luxury. Yet Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem just signed off on the purchase of two Gulfstream G700s, luxury aircraft worth a combined $170 million.
The Coast Guard had requested one replacement plane for an aging jet used for official travel. Somewhere along the way, that single, practical request turned into a pair of top-of-the-line aircraft awarded through a no-bid contract, without a clear explanation or a shred of humility.
Secretary Noem says the planes are necessary for the mission of the Coast Guard, but that is not what the record shows. The Department of Homeland Security originally requested one $50 million aircraft. Now, it is buying two “used” Gulfstreams that the manufacturer markets for billionaires, not public servants. And it is happening during a government shutdown, when some of the very workers Secretary Noem leads are missing their paychecks.
As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I find this entirely unacceptable. Taxpayer dollars must be spent in a way that is justified, transparent, and defensible. A $170 million luxury purchase at a time when federal employees are going unpaid fails every one of those tests.
Secretary Noem has implemented a policy that requires her personal sign-off on any department expense over $100,000. That means this decision, one of the larger discretionary purchases in the Department of Homeland Security’s history, went directly across her desk. Accountability begins and ends with her.
Every federal employee knows that taxpayer money is a public trust. In my district, I see that respect every day. Coast Guard members work long hours under tough conditions with aging equipment. They are motivated by service, not status. The same goes for the TSA officers at John Wayne Airport or the CBP personnel at our ports of entry. These men and women keep our country safe. They deserve leaders who share their sense of duty, not one who seems to view public office as an opportunity for personal luxury.
The Coast Guard’s mission is vital, from rescuing families at sea to interdicting drug traffickers to protecting our coastlines from environmental threats. But no one needs a Gulfstream G700 to do that job. It is impossible to explain how two luxury jets take priority over the paychecks, boats, or aircraft that actually keep Americans safe.
Even in normal times, this purchase would raise eyebrows. During a shutdown, it is a symbol of Washington’s worst instincts — entitlement, self-importance, and a growing distance from the people government is supposed to serve. When a leader’s first instinct is to take care of herself instead of her workforce, something fundamental has gone wrong.
Secretary Noem has tried to deflect criticism by saying Congress already appropriated the money. But that excuse only makes things worse. Leadership means making responsible choices with the funds entrusted to you, not grabbing what you can because you think you are above the rules. The fact that the money was available does not make the decision wise. Every appropriator knows that funds are allocated broadly, but discretion matters. How leaders choose to use those dollars defines their priorities.
If Secretary Noem truly believes the Coast Guard needs modernization, she should start with the vessels and rescue gear that save lives, not the private jets that make her life more comfortable. Every dollar spent on personal convenience is a dollar that could have gone to a young service member risking their life in the field.
The American people, regardless of party, deserve better. They want leaders who show restraint, humility, and respect for the money they earn and send to Washington. They expect stewardship, not self-indulgence. That is not a Democratic value or a Republican value. It is an American value.
When ordinary Americans are cutting back on groceries, paying more for health care, and stretching every dollar, they should not have to watch government officials live by a different standard. Secretary Noem’s decision is not just a waste of money — it is a failure of leadership and an insult to taxpayers.
Kristi Noem’s jets are more than a waste of money. They are a symbol of arrogance and entitlement, and a reminder of Washington’s culture of excess. So much for draining the swamp.
Mike Levin represents California’s 49th congressional district.
