Kristi Noem's $464M jet fleet is sitting in a parking lot collecting dust

Seven Boeing 737-700 jets acquired for Kristi Noem’s Department of Homeland Security after she was fired are still sitting largely unused at Lake Charles Regional Airport in southwest Louisiana, according to Bloomberg. The $464 million purchase has reportedly produced fewer than five flights per aircraft since April 2026, based on ADS-B Exchange tracking. Bloomberg says the stalled fleet reflects broader DHS spending patterns under Noem and adviser Corey Lewandowski that faced criticism from both parties. Some initiatives were canceled, and a plan to convert warehouses into immigration detention centers was largely scrapped even after the government spent more than $1 billion buying facilities.