Tomi Lahren Criticizes Kristi Noem's $220M DHS Ad Campaign

Fox News host calls ousted DHS secretary's self-promotional ads a 'sideshow' that distracted from the real border mission.

Mar. 11, 2026 at 4:04am

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Fox News host Tomi Lahren unloaded on outgoing Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem over a taxpayer-funded $220 million ad campaign that featured Noem riding a horse with Mount Rushmore in the background. Lahren criticized the excessive spending and said Noem had become the story instead of focusing on the real work of securing the border.

Why it matters

The controversy over Noem's self-promotional ads highlights the importance of government officials staying focused on their core mission and responsibilities rather than using taxpayer money for personal branding. It also underscores the need for accountability and consistency in calling out government waste, regardless of political affiliation.

The details

The 60-second DHS ad featured Noem narrating over scenic footage of the American landscape, with the on-screen text reading "Sponsored by the United States Department of Homeland Security." The cost of the campaign was described as just shy of a quarter-billion dollars, roughly equivalent to the production budget of the 2021 superhero film "Spider-Man: No Way Home." Lahren directly compared the apparent misuse of taxpayer money to a fraud scandal involving Somali-run daycare centers in Minneapolis, arguing that the same scrutiny should be applied to Republicans as to Democrats.

  • The ad campaign was released in late 2025.
  • On March 9, 2026, Republican Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy grilled Noem at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing about the $220 million price tag.
  • On March 11, 2026, President Donald Trump announced his intention to replace Noem with Republican Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin as DHS secretary.

The players

Tomi Lahren

A Fox News host who criticized Kristi Noem's $220 million DHS ad campaign.

Kristi Noem

The outgoing Department of Homeland Security Secretary who was the subject of the controversial $220 million ad campaign.

John Kennedy

A Republican Louisiana senator who grilled Noem at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing about the $220 million price tag of the ad campaign.

Markwayne Mullin

The Republican Oklahoma senator whom President Trump intends to nominate as the new DHS secretary, pending Senate confirmation.

Donald Trump

The former president who announced his intention to replace Noem with Mullin as DHS secretary.

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What they’re saying

“I don't how you spend $220 million riding a horse by Mount Rushmore. I'm from Rapid City, S.D. Mount Rushmore is the backdrop of where I grew up. I don't know how you spend that much to do that.”

— Tomi Lahren, Fox News host

“How do you square that concern for waste, which I share, with the fact that you have spent $220 million running television advertisements that feature you prominently?”

— John Kennedy, Republican Louisiana senator

What’s next

The Senate will hold a confirmation hearing for Markwayne Mullin to become the new DHS secretary, replacing Kristi Noem.

The takeaway

This controversy highlights the need for government officials to stay focused on their core mission and responsibilities rather than using taxpayer money for personal branding. It also underscores the importance of applying the same scrutiny to government waste and misuse of funds, regardless of political affiliation, in order to maintain credibility on fiscal responsibility.