Additional Coverage:
- 15 blockbuster movies that cost less than Kristi Noem’s $220 million DHS ad campaigns (businessinsider.com)
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem Ousted Amidst $220 Million Ad Campaign Controversy
Washington D.C. – Kristi Noem, former Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), was removed from her position on Thursday, following intense scrutiny from Congress regarding a controversial $220 million ad campaign. The campaign, which Noem stated was intended to encourage undocumented immigrants to leave the U.S., featured the then-Secretary riding a horse in front of Mount Rushmore while delivering stern messages about border enforcement.
The exorbitant cost of the ad campaign became a central point of contention during Noem’s Tuesday appearance before Congress. Lawmakers, including Senator John Kennedy, questioned the department’s use of taxpayer dollars, particularly the bidding process for the contracts and the selection of firms involved. Critics highlighted the campaign’s price tag, which surpasses the production budgets of numerous major Hollywood blockbusters, even when adjusted for inflation.
“The View” host Meghan McCain publicly slammed the spending on social media, noting that the DHS “vanity videos” cost $130 million more than the critically acclaimed film “Sinners,” which recently garnered 16 Oscar nominations with an estimated budget of $90 million.
Noem, in her testimony, defended the ads as “effective” and maintained that President Donald Trump had approved the substantial spending, stating, “We went through the legal processes, went through it correctly.” However, President Trump later contradicted her account, telling Reuters on Thursday, “I never knew anything about it.”
The $220 million figure for the ad campaign encompassed media buying and placement, consulting fees, and related administrative expenses. To put this sum into perspective, here are a few blockbuster movies whose inflation-adjusted budgets were less than the DHS ad campaign:
- “The Matrix” (1999): $124 million
- “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003): $166 million
- “Top Gun: Maverick” (2022): $189 million
- “Barbie” (2023): $154 million
- “Gladiator” (2000): $195 million
- “Frozen” (2013): $209 million
- “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” (2011): $180 million
- “Jurassic World” (2015): $204 million
- “The Hunger Games” (2012): $111 million
- “Oppenheimer” (2023): $106 million
- “Jaws” (1975): $55 million
- “Iron Man” (2008): $210 million
- “The Lion King” (1994): $99 million
- “Deadpool” (2016): $80 million
- “The Batman” (2022): $209 million
Noem’s departure comes after months of controversy surrounding her management of immigration enforcement during the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign. The scrutiny over the ad campaign’s cost and perceived lack of transparency ultimately led to her ousting.
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- 15 blockbuster movies that cost less than Kristi Noem’s $220 million DHS ad campaigns (businessinsider.com)