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.
“These aircraft are Coast Guard aircraft to replace 25-year-old airplanes that are necessary for the mission of the Coast Guard,” she told reporters. “Congress appropriated the dollars and paid for them in the Big Beautiful bill, and we’re grateful that we’re able to move forward.”…