Senators Probe Noem's Taxpayer-Funded Mount Rushmore Ad
Senators disclosed invoices showing $286,137 in subcontract costs for Kristi Noem's Mount Rushmore ad, part of a $220 million DHS advertising campaign that included a $143 million no-bid contract awarded in February 2025.
New York PostNoem spent $20,000 on horse rentals, $3,800 on hair and makeup for Mount Rushmore ads: Dems
Joe.My.God.Docs: ICE Barbie Spent Big On Horses, Hair, Makeup - Joe.My.God.
Raw StoryStaggering costs revealed for Kristi Noem's makeup and horse rental in $143M ad debacle
MEDIAiteDems Reveal Noem Spent Eye-Popping Amount on Horses, Hair and Makeup for DHS Ad: ‘Looks Like Waste, Fraud, and Abuse’
Overview
Senators Peter Welch and Richard Blumenthal released invoices showing The Strategy Group Company billed $286,137 for Kristi Noem's Mount Rushmore ad, including horse rentals and hair and makeup costs.
The invoices relate to a $220 million Department of Homeland Security advertising campaign authorized by Noem that included a $143 million no-bid contract awarded to Safe America Media in February 2025.
Senators called the spending wasteful and demanded records, with Welch labeling it "waste, fraud, and abuse" and Blumenthal calling the expenses "completely unacceptable," and the senators said The Strategy Group Company provided only partial responses.
The itemized invoices listed $107,405 in labor costs, a $60,000 "signing bonus," $52,599 for videography and production, $20,000 for horse rentals, $3,781 for hair and makeup, $500 to a magic store, and $41,852 to other vendors.
The senators have requested additional records and materials as part of an investigation into the contracts and whether any federal officials profited from DHS spending, and The Strategy Group Company has provided partial responses to those requests.
Analysis
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FAQ
Senators Peter Welch (D-VT) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) disclosed the invoices and demanded records, labeling the spending as waste, fraud, and abuse.[1]
The invoices showed $107,405 in labor costs, $60,000 signing bonus, $52,599 for videography and production, $20,000 for horse rentals, $3,781 for hair and makeup, $500 to a magic store, and $41,852 to other vendors, totaling $286,137 subcontract costs.[1]
The Strategy Group is a Republican consulting firm run by the husband of Noem's chief DHS spokesperson, with long-standing personal and business ties to Noem and her senior aides; it does not appear on public contract documents.[1]
The campaign is part of a $220 million DHS advertising effort, including a $143 million no-bid contract to Safe America Media in February 2025, justified by urgency to combat misinformation on immigration.[1]
Noem faced Senate scrutiny and calls to resign but was reassigned by President Trump as special envoy for a Western Hemisphere security initiative instead of being fired; DHS defends the campaign for prompting self-deportations.
It was a no-bid contract justified by a border emergency to skip competitive bidding; Noem claimed multiple companies competed, but records show pressure for specific firms with her ties.
DHS stated the campaign prompted 2.2 million self-deportations and saved billions in taxpayer dollars by deterring illegal immigration.[3]
