DHS Ad Scandal: Political Operatives Reap $23M in Commissions Amid Noem Fallout

A Department of Homeland Security advertising campaign that contributed to Secretary Kristi Noem’s removal from office funneled at least $23 million in commissions to firms linked to veteran Republican political operatives, according to internal documents reviewed by POLITICO. Safe America Media, formed just days before receiving a limited-bid contract, collected $15.2 million for its role in the $220 million taxpayer-funded campaign. The firm was operated by Mike McElwain and Patrick McCarthy, who have connections to a media buying company that spent over $269 million on President Trump’s 2024 campaign. A second firm, People Who Think, co-founded by Trump 2016 campaign veteran Jay Connaughton, received at least $7.7 million from a 10 percent commission on international advertising portions of the campaign. The March 3 internal DHS memo justified the limited competition by citing “urgent and compelling need” for the campaign, while noting the 10-12 percent commission rates were below the industry standard of 15 percent. The campaign included a controversial video featuring Noem riding a horse at Mount Rushmore, which White House officials said Trump never approved. Republican Senators Thom Tillis and John Kennedy joined Democrats in questioning Noem about the ads during congressional testimony, with Tillis threatening to halt all Senate business over the matter. Noem defended the campaign by claiming it encouraged two million immigrants to self-deport, saving billions of dollars. The Strategy Group, run by the husband of Noem’s former communications aide, was subcontracted by Safe America Media for ad production worth $226,000. Safe America Media placed some DHS ads through Strategic Media Services Inc., which received over $269 million from Trump’s 2024 campaign according to FEC records. The campaign represents one of the most expensive U.S. government marketing efforts in the past decade, exceeding typical military recruiting and Covid-19 related campaigns.

Analysis by Tariq Al-Fayed (Middle East Geopolitical Strategist).