Senators accuse DHS of running private jet service for officials

Senators Patty Murray and Chris Murphy have written to the Department of Homeland Security accusing it of effectively operating a private jet service for Trump administration officials, according to a letter made public in mid-August 2026. The letter, addressed to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, alleges the department acquired 12 additional aircraft, including five executive jets, over the past year and made them available not only to DHS staff but also to White House border adviser Tom Homan, members of the first family, and FBI Director Kash Patel.

According to the senators, the newly acquired aircraft include two Gulfstream G700s, two Gulfstream G650s, a Boeing 737-8 MAX, and seven other Boeing 737s, adding to two Gulfstream jets DHS already used for executive travel. The letter states that funding for the two G700s came through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act while Kristi Noem led the department, while separate funds under the same act were directed to Immigration and Customs Enforcement to purchase the remaining ten aircraft.

The senators claim that Congress never authorized the purchases. A prior investigation cited in the letter reported that DHS spent $464 million on a no-bid contract for ten used aircraft that have seen little use since acquisition.

The letter demands that Mullin explain the rationale, cost and authorization behind the purchases, as well as details of who has used the aircraft and for what purposes. As of the letter's publication, DHS had not issued a public response to the allegations.