Senators Allege DHS Operated Private Jet Service for Trump Officials

Two U.S. senators have accused the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of misusing taxpayer funds to acquire a fleet of luxury aircraft, effectively operating an in-house private jet service for Trump administration officials and their families. Senators Patty Murray and Chris Murphy, in a letter addressed to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, demanded an explanation for the purchases, which included multiple executive jets and commercial airliners. ## Allegations of Unauthorized Spending The senators' letter, published on August 13, 2026, criticized DHS for acquiring 12 new aircraft, including five executive jets, without proper congressional approval. The fleet reportedly included two Gulfstream 700s, two Gulfstream G650s, a Boeing 737-8 MAX, and seven Boeing 737s. According to the senators, DHS already owned two Gulfstream jets for executive travel when these additional purchases were made. The letter alleged that the aircraft were used not only by DHS officials but also by White House Border Czar Tom Homan, other administration officials, members of the first family, and even the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kash Patel. The senators claimed that the acquisitions were funded through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) under former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, with additional funds allocated to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for the remaining aircraft. ## Calls for Transparency and Oversight The senators argued that the aircraft were acquired without congressional authorization and that their use for executive travel was a misuse of taxpayer dollars. They cited an investigation by the New York Times, which reported that DHS spent $464 million on a no-bid contract to purchase 10 used aircraft, many of which have remained largely unused. The letter demanded a full accounting of the aircraft purchases, including contract details, retrofitting costs, operational expenses, flight logs, and legal justifications for the acquisitions. The senators also requested copies of lease and loan agreements involving the FBI and the Department of Defense. The senators concluded by urging DHS to sell off the unnecessary luxury jets and return the funding to American taxpayers. They emphasized the need for congressional oversight and appropriate funding decisions in the upcoming budget cycle. DHS has been given until August 26, 2026, to provide the requested information to the Senate Appropriations Committee.