Since being sworn in as secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), former South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has drawn plenty of criticism for her frequent photo-ops. Noem, critics say, is theatrical and performative in a way that Alejandro Mayorkas — who served as DHS secretary under former President Joe Biden — wasn't.
Now, Noem is, according to the Washington Post, drawing scrutiny for "living for free in a military home typically reserved for the U.S. Coast Guard's top admiral."
In an article published on August 15, Post reporters Marianne LeVine, Liz Goodwin and Dan Lamothe explain, "The highly unusual arrangement has raised concern within the agency and from some Democrats, who describe it as a waste of military resources. Noem recently moved into Quarters 1, a spacious waterfront residence at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington where the Coast Guard commandant typically resides. She did so because of concerns over her safety after the Daily Mail, a British tabloid, published photographs in April of the area around Noem's residence in Washington’s Navy Yard neighborhood, DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said."
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Noem's "housing," according to the Post journalists, "has raised eyebrows among current and retired Coast Guard officials." And Democrats, they report, "warn that Noem risks creating the perception that she is exploiting the perks of her position as DHS secretary, in which she supervises the Coast Guard."
"They say her decision could set off a chain reaction that could displace other senior members of the service in a situation with limited housing," according to LeVine, Goodwin and Lamothe. "Current and former Coast Guard members have also cited Noem's frequent use of a Coast Guard Gulfstream aircraft as a point of tension."
The Post's reporting on Noem's housing arrangement is drawing a lot of comments on X, formerly Twitter.
Post reporter John Hudson tweeted, "NEW: Kristi Noem is living rent-free in a military home typically reserved for the U.S. Coast Guard’s top admiral, report @marianne_levine @lizcgoodwin @DanLamothe. The arrangement is 'highly unusual.'"
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Journalist Robert Lusetich posted, "Grifting in this administration, not highly unusual."
Attorney Pat Cochran argued, "I've never seen an administration more afraid of people than the Trump administration."
X user Matty Gregg joked, "Hopefully there are no dogs around" — a reference to the anecdote in which Noem, in her book, bragged about shooting a dog on a farm.
Retired peace officer Gary Sanchez tweeted, "Noem, Bondi, Hegseth, Patel, RFK et al must think they're at the top of the world, free to lie, free to act tough, free to seize the limelight and all the celebrity trappings. None of this lasts forever and we will NEVER forget the CORRUPTION and 'holier than thou' behavior."
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Read the Washington Post's full article at this link (subscription required).