Trump Administration Buys $70M Jet for Melania Trump, Cabinet

The Trump administration has decided to proceed with the purchase of a $70 million Boeing 737 Max 8 luxury jet originally leased during Kristi Noem's tenure as Homeland Security Secretary, making it available for travel by First Lady Melania Trump and select Cabinet members. The move, reported this week, comes despite Noem's dismissal from her post on March 5 and initial expectations within the department that the acquisition would be canceled.

The aircraft, equipped with a queen-sized bed, showers, a full kitchen, a bar, and four large flat-screen televisions, was secured by Immigration and Customs Enforcement before the confirmation of Noem's successor, Markwayne Mullin. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson emphasized its practical benefits, stating that the plane operates at roughly 40 percent lower cost than standard military aircraft for long-range missions and provides secure command and control capabilities. Officials described it as serving dual purposes: supporting deportation operations, with plans to retrofit one bedroom area for seating deportees, and facilitating rapid mobility for high-level government travel.

Noem's brief leadership of the department,...