Senate Democrats Uncover Details of $220 Million DHS Advertising Campaign
Senate Democrats have released a comprehensive report detailing the Department of Homeland Security's spending on former Secretary Kristi Noem's controversial $220 million advertising campaign. The investigation, led by Democratic Senators Peter Welch of Vermont and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, exposes multiple questionable financial arrangements and contract awards.
Questionable Contract Awards and Spending Details
The senators allege that Safe America Media, operated by veteran Republican operative Mike McElwain, received a $143 million no-bid contract for the campaign. Remarkably, the company had been incorporated just one week before securing this substantial government deal. Safe America Media then licensed the work to The Strategy Group for production.
The Strategy Group, which filmed the advertisements, is run by Benjamin Yoho, husband of former Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. This company received a $60,000 'signing bonus' as part of their contract with Safe America Media, raising further questions about the procurement process.
Specific Production Costs Under Scrutiny
Detailed spending records reveal that $4,000 was allocated for hair and makeup for Kristi Noem, who featured prominently in the advertisements. An additional $20,000 was spent on horse rentals, as Noem rode at least one horse during the campaign commercials.
The Strategy Group reported labor costs of $107,000 and production expenses of $53,000. In total, just $286,137 of the hundreds of millions allocated was spent on five film shoots, 45 video advertisements, and half a dozen radio spots.
Political Fallout and Contradictory Claims
Kristi Noem was removed from her position by Donald Trump on March 5 after testifying under oath that the commander-in-chief had given her permission to proceed with the advertisements. Trump subsequently denied any knowledge of the campaign on his Truth Social platform.
However, current DHS officials now allege that Trump was aware of the advertisements and are requesting a 'full audit' of Noem's advertising contract. A source close to the administration told the Daily Beast that the president 'knew about the campaign and wanted it to happen.'
Campaign Content and Legal Consequences
The advertisements aimed to warn illegal migrants to self-deport from America or face consequences, with one notable spot showing Noem sitting on a horse in front of Mount Rushmore while stating: 'We will find you and we will deport you.'
Noem has since been referred to the Justice Department for a criminal investigation over alleged perjury related to her claims that Trump approved spending for her advertising campaign. Top congressional Democrats referred her for 'knowingly making false statements under oath' to Congress.
Official Responses and Ongoing Questions
Senator Welch stated: 'This looks like waste, fraud, and abuse to me. While leading the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem and her senior team allowed tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars to be spent on wasteful production costs, a shady signing bonus, and a very expensive horse rental—and that's just what we know so far.'
The DHS issued a statement clarifying: 'Safe America Media and People Who Think are the sole contractors that DHS selected for this ad campaign. By law, DHS cannot and does not determine, control or weigh in on who contractors hire or use to fulfill the terms of the contract. Those decisions are made by the contractor alone.'
When questioned about the claims, a White House spokesperson stated: 'Contracts are awarded by individual agencies. The White House has no involvement in an agency's contract decisions.' The spokesperson also referenced Trump's statement to Reuters: 'I never knew anything about it.'
Replacement and Historical Context
Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin was confirmed as Noem's replacement earlier Monday night. The DHS advertising campaign has become the third-most costly US government marketing initiative over the past decade, surpassed only by COVID public service announcements and military recruiting advertisements.
Democrat Representative Joe Neguse, who questioned Noem about the campaign during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on March 3, commented: 'Corruption and self-dealing has become pervasive and endemic within the Trump administration—and the American people deserve answers.'
Joseph Folio, the lawyer representing Safe America Media, defended the firm's work: 'We submitted a proposal for and was awarded a contract to support DHS's nationwide public awareness campaign, and committed substantial resources to meet an accelerated timeline on budget. We look forward to providing additional information to address inaccuracies in the public reporting.'
