Full Breakdown
DHS Jet Purchases in the Final Hours of Kristi Noem’s Tenure
By Drooid · · How we work
Final Purchases Under Noem’s Tenure
In the closing hours of Kristi Noem’s service as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the agency approved a series of aircraft acquisitions from Daedalus Aviation Corporation, a firm owned by one of Noem’s political donors. The transactions were executed as Noem prepared to leave the post, raising questions about the timing and the beneficiaries of the deals.
Financial Details of the Jet Acquisitions
- Boeing 737 private jet – DHS agreed to pay $108 million for a converted 737 that features a stand-up bar, two bedrooms, marble showers and a manta-ray-skin-covered table. Daedalus had purchased the same aircraft a few months earlier for under $90 million.
- Two Gulfstream luxury jets – The agency paid $106 million for the pair, while Daedalus’s acquisition cost for the two jets was about $83 million.
- Two 17-year-old Boeing 737 passenger planes – Each was purchased for $45 million.
Aviation experts consulted by the reporting outlet noted that the prices paid were “millions of dollars higher” than typical market values for aircraft of comparable age and configuration.
Expert Assessment of Pricing
Six aviation specialists, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the markup on all three transactions far exceeded standard resale premiums for used jets. They highlighted that the converted 737’s luxury modifications alone would not justify a price gap of roughly $18 million between the original purchase price and the DHS contract. The experts’ analysis suggests that the deals generated a substantial profit for Daedalus Aviation Corporation.
Official Responses
The Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on the specific transactions. No public statement from Kristi Noem or her office was provided at the time of the purchases. Consequently, the agency’s rationale for the pricing and the procurement process remains undocumented in the available records.