Kristi Noem Rages Over 'Factually Incorrect' Report Fired 'ICE Barbie' Awarded Lucrative Contracts During Finals Days as DHS Secretary
Kristi Noem took to X to weigh in on a new article about her final days as DHS secretary.
Oct. 6 2026, Published 6:10 p.m. ET
Kristi Noem has responded to rumors of her controversial contract awards, RadarOnline.com can confirm.
The 54-year-old took to X to go off about the new article, which claims the Department of Homeland Security bought five luxury jets from an associated political donor for far more than they were actually worth.
Kristi Noem Goes Off About New Report
Kristi Noem took to X to respond to a new article detailing her controversial contract awards.
"In response to the DISHONEST @nytimes about their factually incorrect article today," she began. "I write to formally request the retraction entirely or explicit correction of the article titled 'Kristi Noem's Agency Gave Her Donor a Lucrative Contract Just Before She Left.'"
"The article's characterization of the individual as a 'donor' (confirmed not to be the case) is materially misleading and, as unsupported by the factual record, conveys a false implication of a direct financial relationship obviously intended to influence official action," Noem continued.
Kristi Noem Labels New Article 'Libelous'
Noem raged the article claiming the DHS bought five luxury jets from an associated political donor for far more than they were worth is 'misleading.'
The former Homeland Security Secretary went on, "Accuracy is fundamental to responsible journalism. If the individual did not personally make political contributions to Secretary Noem, or if the term 'donor' instead refers indirectly to unrelated entities or legally distinct contributions, the article simply fails to meet the standards of precision expected of The New York Times."
"Numerous times clarifications were made to the journalists responsible for this libelous story," she concluded. "Such wording unfairly prejudices readers and creates an inference of impropriety that is not supported by the underlying facts."
DHS Airplane Purchases
A new report found that DHS paid Daedalus Aviation Corporation well above market value for multiple airplanes.
The report in question found that DHS paid $108million for a Boeing 737 Max 8 from Daedalus Aviation Corporation, which was purchased for $90million just a few months prior.
DHS bought two smaller jets, which had been purchased for $83million, from the donor firm for $106million. Two Boeing 737 passenger planes, which are nearly two decades old, were bought for $4 million each.
Reportedly, that's way above market value.
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The 'New York Times' stands by its article despite backlash from Noem.
The New York Times defended the article in a statement following Noem's rant.
"As our article makes clear, the Department of Homeland Security bought five airplanes from Daedalus at a substantial markup, a deal approved during Ms. Noem's tenure,” spokesperson Nicole Taylor asserted.
"Daedalus's chairman is William Walters, who gave $10,000 to the American Resolve political action committee, a group that existed to support Ms. Noem."
In March, Noem, known as "ICE Barbie," was fired by President Trump and instead given a new, previously nonexistent role – "Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas."
