The saga surrounding the nearly quarter-billion-dollar ad campaign by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has drawn significant scrutiny from House Republicans. This campaign, prominently featuring former Secretary Kristi Noem, is now the subject of an investigation, which also extends to her former top adviser, Corey Lewandowski.
Andrew Garbarino, the Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee and a Republican representative from New York, revealed on Tuesday that his committee is conducting extensive oversight into the $220 million ad campaign. This inquiry is part of a broader examination of DHS spending managed under Noem and Lewandowski’s leadership.
During a conversation at the House GOP retreat held at Trump National Doral Miami, Garbarino expressed concerns, suggesting that Lewandowski’s involvement was excessive. “I think Corey had his hands in a lot and probably should not have,” he remarked, indicating that the committee is scrutinizing numerous contracts.
Garbarino highlighted a policy instituted by Noem that required her office to approve all contracts exceeding $100,000. While intended to curb waste and abuse, this measure reportedly led to significant delays, affecting key areas such as disaster relief and other critical funding efforts.
Additionally, Garbarino pointed to the delay in funding contracts intended to expand the US-Mexico border wall, attributing these setbacks to the bureaucratic bottlenecks within the department.
The substantial cost associated with the ad campaign has raised eyebrows among GOP lawmakers and has reportedly caused frustration for President Trump. This discontent follows Noem’s testimony in recent congressional hearings, where she claimed that the spending had been authorized by the president himself.
“I wasn’t thrilled with it,” Trump told NBC News last week about Noem’s claim. “I spent less money than that to become president. I didn’t know about it.”
“It sounds like the president’s concerned,” House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said Tuesday, “so you know, we certainly are as well, and we’ll take a look at it.”
“Our staff is just starting to get information in on that.”
Around $143 million of the ad campaign money was paid to Safe America Media, which incorporated in Delaware around a week before inking the contract, ProPublica first reported in November.
A subcontract worth more than $226,000 went to the Strategy Group, which helped shoot an ad featuring Noem on horseback in front of Mount Rushmore and promising an “American dream … as big as these endless skies” to immigrants entering the US legally — and deportation for those coming illegally.
The political consulting firm is run by Ben Yoho, the husband of ex-DHS chief spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin.
In a statement, the Strategy Group noted it had never contracted directly with DHS. McLaughlin similarly said her “husband doesn’t own Safe America and is not a part of it.”
Noem also testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 3 that DHS always abided by agency rules for contracts and denied being involved with the award process.
Trump has still been privately asking trusted advisers if Lewandowski personally profited from the nine-figure advertising campaign, NBC News reported Thursday.
White House insiders told The Post Friday that Trump’s “final straw” with Noem was her failure to answer pointed questions about whether she ever had “sexual relations” with Lewandowski, who was technically working in DHS at the pleasure of the president as a special government employee.
Lewandowski has disputed reports of overexerting his influence at the department and maintains he was merely an “unpaid volunteer” — but sources dished that he had boasted last year: “I do whatever the f–k I want. DJT will pardon me.”
“Never said that,” Lewandowski told The Post in response to the claims. “Never asked for a pardon and have no reason to receive one.”
Meanwhile, House Republicans said they are excited to see Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) nominated to replace Noem.
Jordan noted that Mullin would likely take the lead in pursuing an internal investigation into any misuse of taxpayer funds at DHS — and build on the early successes of Noem in helping the Trump administration secure the border, deport criminal illegal aliens and end censorship in federal agencies.
“I am very excited for a Secretary Mullin. I think he’s got a great relationship with a lot of people on the Hill. I mean, I served with him in the House back in 2021,” said Garbarino, who also assessed that Noem “didn’t do a bad job. She just had a lot to deal with and she didn’t have the deputies in place to rely on.”
Reps for DHS did not respond to requests for comment.
