A report has intensified scrutiny of Kristi Noem and adviser Corey Lewandowski, alleging the two flew together on a government-contracted plane with a private rear cabin. The claims fuel ongoing speculation about them relationboth in denial and worried about optics and management internal Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
According to the Wall Street Journal, Donald Trump Senior advisers were “disturbed” by the alleged relationship, and officials said the issue had been raised multiple times.
Luxury aircraft reportedly used for official travel
Noem and Lewandowski flew across the country on a Boeing 737 MAX jet equipped with a private cabin, people familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal. Staff reportedly joked that the plane was Noem’s “big, beautiful plane,” while official documents described it as designated for “high-profile deportations.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said the plane, which costs less than military aircraft, is used for deportation operations as well as Cabinet-level travel, The Huffington Post reported.
Romance rumors and official responses
Rumors about a relationship between the two have circulated for years, first in tabloid reports and later in magazine reports. One FEMA official called it “the worst-kept secret in Washington, D.C.,” while a former Department of Homeland Security official said, “Everyone knows they are together. Can I prove it? No, but they are together.”
Noem and Lewandowski, who are both married, have denied the allegations.
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin refuted the claims, saying the department would not “waste its time on salacious, unfounded gossip” and would continue to focus on its homeland security duties, The Huffington Post reported.
Also read: Marco Rubio reveals why Donald Trump is willing to meet with Iran’s supreme leader amid tensions
Trump reportedly blocked Lewandowski from taking DHS job
The Wall Street Journal reported that Lewandowski had sought to serve as Noem’s chief of staff, but Trump rejected the offer amid romance rumors.
Officials said the president continued to raise the issue.
The report also revisits previous aviation controversies during Trump’s second term. Noem reportedly approved the purchase of a Spirit Airlines plane, which later turned out to be not owned by the airline and lacked an engine. In October, during the shutdown, the government purchased two Gulfstream G700 jets for $172 million for use by Noem and other top officials.
