Trump fires his Homeland Security secretary but keeps her controversial $70 million luxury jet, which critics called a waste of taxpayers' money

The Boeing 737 Max 8 was allegedly the third plane used by the since-fired secretary. And the criticism is not just partisan either, as RJ Hauman, the director of the National Immigration Center for Enforcement and a prominent conservative lobbyist, called out the expenditure.

"Wasting tens of millions of dollars on a luxury jet that won't remove a single illegal alien is offensive," RJ Hauman (3), the director of the National Immigration Center for Enforcement, said.

Leaving on a jet plane

Noem first made headlines in November 2025, when her agency arranged to lease a Boeing 737 Max 8 jet. Originally intended to fly her and top aide Corey Lewandowski around the country, there were plans to outright purchase the jet and even had it earmarked for "high-profile deportations" (4).

The Boeing (5) model has a queen bed, showers, a kitchen, four large flat-screen TVs and even a bar. NBC News (6) reported the plane's features and a brochure about them.

"ICE purchased this plane before Secretary (Markwayne) Mullin was confirmed," a Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman said in a statement. "This aircraft will be available to cabinet members who need secure command and control and rapid long-range mobility."

Officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which handled the jet's purchase, thought the plans to buy it would be scuttled. However, once Noem was removed from the DHS, the White House took control of it, quashing any say from the DHS.

Mullin was appointed on March 24 by the President to replace Noem. The plane will also be used for other cabinet secretaries and potentially the First Lady, Melania Trump.

The skies haven't always been friendly to the current administration, as Trump also faced criticism for being gifted the same type of plane from the Qatari royal family in January. They officially accepted (7) the jet in May.