Taxpayer Dollars Funded Lavish Production of Noem's Pro-Deportation Advertisements
Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem authorized a series of pro-deportation advertisements that cost American taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars, with newly revealed documents showing extravagant production expenses including thousands of dollars for horse rentals and professional hair and makeup services.
Mount Rushmore Production Costs Revealed
According to financial records obtained by CNN and The Daily Beast, the production costs for the controversial advertisements totaled $286,137 for five separate shoots that were edited into 45 video ads, six radio spots, and professional photographs. The most infamous videos featured Noem riding horseback in front of Mount Rushmore while praising former President Donald Trump and America's "vision and grit."
"Freedom's a precious thing, and we defend it vigorously," Noem declared in one widely publicized ad while dressed in cowboy attire. "You cross the border illegally, we'll find you. Break our laws, we'll punish you. Harm American citizens, there will be consequences."
Questionable Expenses and Contracting Practices
The production invoices reveal several eyebrow-raising expenses:
- $20,000 paid to champion horse racer Jill Moody for renting, transporting, and boarding three horses
- $3,800 for multiple hair and makeup professionals
- $60,000 marked as a "signing bonus"
These costs were billed through The Strategy Group, a political consulting subcontractor whose CEO is married to Noem's former DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin. The Strategy Group submitted expenses to Safe America Media (SAM), a company established just eight days before receiving a $143 million federal contract.
Political Fallout and Congressional Scrutiny
Senators Peter Welch (D-Vermont) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) obtained the financial records and expressed outrage at what they characterized as government waste.
"This looks like waste, fraud, and abuse to me," Welch stated. "While leading the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem and her senior team allowed tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars to be spent on wasteful production costs, a shady signing bonus, and a very expensive horse — and that's just what we know so far."
The Mount Rushmore shoot occurred on October 2, 2025, coinciding with the second day of a government shutdown that left thousands of federal employees working without pay.
Contradictory Testimony and Leadership Changes
Questions about the advertising splurge appeared to contribute to the end of Noem's controversial tenure leading DHS. During a congressional hearing earlier this month, Noem testified that Trump had approved the massive advertising contract.
However, Trump denied signing off on the nine-figure ad budget in comments to Reuters on the same day he demoted Noem from her position as DHS secretary to special envoy for the new "Shield of the Americas" initiative.
Last year, ProPublica initially reported that taxpayers spent $220 million on the campaign designed to deter illegal immigration and encourage undocumented migrants to "self-deport." The newly revealed documents provide specific details about how a portion of those funds were allocated for production expenses that critics argue were excessive and inappropriate.
