Noem defends $220 million ad campaign amid lawmaker scrutiny

By Ted Hesson

WASHINGTON, March ‌4 (Reuters) - U.S. Homeland ​Security ​Secretary Kristi Noem on Wednesday defended the government's spending of $220 million on an advertising campaign for border security amid questions from ‌lawmakers about the contracting process and Republican-connected firms awarded the money.

During ⁠a hearing before a U.S. House of Representatives panel, Representative Joe Neguse, a Democrat from ‌Colorado, grilled Noem over a ‌contracting notice that said the Department of Homeland Security had limited competition to four companies in February 2025, citing an urgent need to stop ​illegal immigration.

"It is fraud, and ultimately, I think there's going to be accountability," Neguse said.

The criticism came after Noem - a top official overseeing ⁠President Donald Trump's aggressive immigration crackdown - was questioned by both Democrats and Republicans before a Senate panel ​on Wednesday about the contract and process to select the companies.

The ads produced with the funds prominently featured Noem, including ​in a scene filmed on horseback at ‌Mount Rushmore in the former South Dakota governor's home state.

Noem said on Tuesday that the contract was awarded through "a competitive ⁠process" and that no political appointees were involved. On Wednesday, she said the contract was "all done correctly, all done legally."

A DHS spokesperson said on Tuesday that career ⁠government employees oversee the procurement process.

The contract was awarded to two companies linked to long-time ​Republican operatives, records show, details first reported by the Associated Press and ProPublica.

One of the companies, Safe America Media, was incorporated in Delaware a week before winning the contract. ‌The company was awarded $143 million, federal records show.

The second, the Louisiana-based firm People Who Think, was awarded $77 million.

Neither company ‌could be immediately reached for comment.

The Strategy Group, a company run by the ⁠husband of outgoing DHS spokesperson ‌Tricia McLaughlin, said on Wednesday ​that it was paid $226,000 as a subcontractor, a small portion of the total.

(Reporting by Ted Hesson in Washington; Editing by ‌Matthew Lewis)

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