Top Democrats in Congress are calling on the Department of Justice to pursue charges against Noem, accusing her of lying under oath during recent testimony that already helped push her out of her leadership role at the Department of Homeland Security.
In a sharply worded letter sent Monday, Rep. Jamie Raskin and Sen. Dick Durbin alleged that Noem may have violated federal law by making false statements to Congress. They claim her testimony during back-to-back oversight hearings contained “demonstrably false statements” that could amount to perjury — a felony offense punishable by up to five years in prison.
The accusations center on four key areas of Noem’s testimony, including whether DHS complied with court orders, whether U.S. citizens were improperly detained during immigration enforcement, and the controversial role of Trump ally Corey Lewandowski in department dealings.
But the biggest flashpoint? A massive $220 million DHS ad campaign that prominently featured Noem herself.
During her testimony, Noem insisted the contract went through a competitive bidding process and was handled by career officials. She also told lawmakers that President Donald Trump was aware of the campaign and its cost.
Both claims are now under intense scrutiny.
Trump later appeared to contradict Noem’s statement about his knowledge of the ad campaign, while Sen. John Kennedy publicly challenged her assertion about competitive bidding, suggesting evidence shows the contracts may not have been properly bid out at all.
Adding fuel to the controversy are allegations that a company tied to former DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin — through her husband, Benjamin Yoho — received a significant portion of the contract money. Yoho has forcefully denied any wrongdoing and demanded a correction to the record.
Despite the mounting accusations, the Trump administration is standing firmly behind Noem. A DHS spokesperson dismissed the perjury claims outright, calling them “categorically FALSE.”
Still, Democrats are signaling they’re not backing down — even if the current Justice Department declines to act. In their letter, Raskin and Durbin pointedly noted that the statute of limitations for perjury extends five years, leaving the door open for future prosecution.
The controversy comes just weeks after Trump removed Noem from her post, reassigning her to a new role tied to an international military coalition. Her exit followed bipartisan criticism over her handling of DHS operations, particularly immigration enforcement.
Now, with a new nominee set to take over and confirmation hearings looming, this battle is far from over.
What began as a heated oversight hearing has now turned into a high-stakes legal and political showdown — one that could have lasting consequences for Noem, the Trump administration, and the broader fight over accountability in Washington.
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