Noem Defends DHS Purchase of 2 Coast Guard Planes After Criticism From Lawmakers

‘These aircraft are Coast Guard aircraft to replace 25-year-old airplanes,’ Noem told reporters.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a press conference at a federal office building in Bradenton, Fla., on Oct. 20, 2025. Octavio Jones/Getty Images

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Oct. 20 defended a $172 million purchase of two Gulfstream jets, saying they were necessary to replace the U.S. Coast Guard’s decades-old aircraft after Democratic lawmakers criticized the move.

During a press conference in Sarasota, Florida, Noem said that Congress had approved and appropriated funding for the jets under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law in July.