US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's spending has been under scanner as the former South Dakota governor was seen sporting a ₹51 lakh Rolex watch during a promotional video inside the El Savlador's Terrorism Confinement Centre (CECOT). Further her spending during Donald trump's election campaign has also raised eyebrows as bombshell report by Associated press reveals that taxpayers may have paid a whopping ₹1.2 crore for her “political and personal activity”.
Let's Take a Detailed Look
Kristi Noem's El Salvador Visit Donning $60k Rolex Watch
Kristi Noem filmed a promotional video for "Cosplay Puppy Killer Barbie with Another Propaganda Video" inside the infamously cruel El Salvadorian prison while sporting a $60,000 Rolex.
Kristi Noem's flashy $60,000 Rolex watch has sparked more outrage than her tough-on-crime stance, as quoted in a report by Daily Dot.
Kristi Noem issued a warning in the video, which was posted to X on Wednesday night, that anyone attempting to enter the country illegally might wind up in the infamous prison.
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Kristi Noem is facing backlash for the photo-op at the world's most notorious prison known as the "Hellhole." The Homeland Security Secretary recorded the video in El Salvador in front of a cell holding dozens of imprisoned people. "Do not come to our country illegally," Noem said in the clip. "You will be removed, and you will be prosecuted."
Critics have vehemently denounced Kristi Noem's uncompromising stance on undocumented immigrants, particularly her suggestion to send them to El Salvador's notorious prison system, which is widely regarded as brutal and inhumane.
The backlash against Trump's policy is further exacerbated by concerns over the US government's broader approach to immigration, which includes deporting individuals to El Salvador without ensuring they receive due process or adequate protection from potential harm.
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Why is the focus on Kristi Noem's Rolex Watch?
One item on Kristi Noem stood out in the promotional video: a watch that many people thought was a Rolex. One X user questioned, "Is Secretary Noem filming a threat to immigrants with due process-free rendition to a third-world prison while sporting a $50,000 gold Rolex Daytona wristwatch?", as per a report by Daily Dot.
The controversy surrounding Kristi Noem has been compounded by her decision to deliver film the video while wearing a $60,000 Rolex, a move that has sparked outrage among many who perceive it as a symbol of opulence and insensitivity.
The juxtaposition of her luxurious attire with the harsh realities of her proposed immigration policies has only served to intensify public criticism. The Trump administration's actions in this regard have been likened to a form of "refoulement," where individuals are forcibly returned to countries where they may face serious risks, including violence and persecution, without being afforded the opportunity to claim asylum or undergo a fair assessment of their circumstances.
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US Taxpayers Financed Kristi Noem's Palm Beach Trips?
During her tenure as South Dakota Governor, Kristi Noem travelled extensively across the United States, campaigning for President Donald Trump and raising her political profile. Despite repeated inquiries, she refused to disclose the financial burden her travel placed on taxpayers.
However, recent revelations have uncovered that South Dakota taxpayers were billed over $150,000 for expenses tied to Kristi Noem political and personal activities, including trips to Palm Beach, Florida, Paris, and a bear hunt in Canada.
The release of these expenses last month, following legal action by The Dakota Scout, has sparked outrage among Republicans in the staunchly conservative state.
An Associated Press analysis of recently released travel records found more than $150,000 in expenses tied to Kristi Noem’s political and personal activity and not South Dakota business.
That included numerous trips to Palm Beach, Florida, where Donald Trump resided before retaking office.
Most of those costs covered the state-provided security that accompanied Kristi Noem, irrespective of the reason for her travel.
Over her six years as governor, AP’s analysis shows, South Dakota covered more than ₹5.4 crore ($640,000) in travel-related costs incurred by the governor’s office.
The expenditures include RRs 6.4 lakhs ($7,555) in airfare for a six-day trip to Paris, where she gave a speech at a right-wing gathering, costs associated with a bear hunt in Canada with her niece and a book tour that included a stop in New York.
An additional ₹1.8 Lakhs ($2,200) stemmed from a controversial trip last year to Houston for dental work she showcased on Instagram.
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Business NewsNews ₹51 lakh Rolex watch for El Salvador visit, ₹1.2 crore travel bills: Kristi Noem’s spending questioned
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First Published
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30 Mar 2025, 08:12 PM IST
