Former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is facing renewed scrutiny in Washington after lawmakers questioned why she is reportedly still living in government-owned housing months after leaving her Cabinet role, reigniting debate over the use of taxpayer-funded residences by senior officials in the Trump administration.
The controversy centers on a Coast Guard property located inside Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, DC, where Noem has reportedly continued residing after stepping down as DHS secretary in March 2026. Democratic lawmakers are now demanding answers from current Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin over whether Noem received formal approval to remain there and whether she is paying rent.
The allegations were pushed into public view by Representative Robert Garcia, who sent a letter to Mullin on 1 May requesting records tied to Noem's occupancy. Garcia accused the administration of failing to properly oversee federal housing arrangements tied to senior officials.
"Kristi Noem got fired in March, and she is still living rent-free in a government home that belongs to the Coast Guard. The Trump Administration can't explain why, nor do they seem to care," Garcia wrote in the letter, according to reporting cited by The Independent.
The property in question sits on a secure military installation along the Anacostia River and has historically been used by senior Coast Guard leadership. The home previously housed former Coast Guard Commandant Linda Fagan before she was removed from her position in January 2025. According to Garcia, Fagan was later instructed to vacate the residence despite reportedly receiving only a brief extension to secure alternative housing.
The dispute has become more complicated because Noem herself previously testified that she was personally paying for her accommodations. During congressional testimony earlier in her tenure, she stated: "I rent that facility. I rent where I stay, and pay personal dollars to do that."
Noem also clarified at the time that she was not occupying the official commandant's residence itself, but another Coast Guard-controlled property within the same base. Critics, however, have challenged whether the arrangement still complies with federal housing rules now that she no longer leads DHS.
The issue has placed fresh attention on Noem's post-Cabinet role. After leaving the Department of Homeland Security earlier this year, she transitioned into a new position as special envoy for the Shield of the Americas initiative, though the exact scope and status of that assignment remain less publicly defined than her previous Cabinet role.
Republicans and Democrats alike have spent recent years scrutinizing the use of government housing, travel privileges and security resources by senior officials. Garcia framed the Noem matter as part of a broader concern over "waste, fraud and abuse" involving federal property and taxpayer-funded benefits.
The housing questions also come amid shifting leadership arrangements within the Coast Guard itself. According to reports cited by The Independent, current Coast Guard commandant Kevin Lunday is preparing to move into the residence typically associated with senior leadership, while temporarily staying in quarters reserved for the vice commandant.
Noem previously acknowledged security concerns tied to her Washington living arrangements during a 2025 appearance on Hannity. She said at the time that she relocated after media reports publicly disclosed details about her earlier residence near the Navy Yard area of Washington. She did not directly address the newer allegations surrounding her continued occupancy of Coast Guard housing after leaving DHS.
So far, the Department of Homeland Security has not publicly clarified whether Noem received written authorization to remain on the property or whether rent payments continue to be made. The department also has not confirmed whether an internal review has been launched in response to Garcia's requests.
