Kristi Noem Says $200 Million DHS Ad Campaign Thanking Trump Was His Idea: Report

The Department of Homeland Security has allocated up to $200 million for an anti-immigrant ad campaign that praises President Donald Trump for his immigration crackdown. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revealed at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) that the ads were Trump’s idea, meant to both deter migrants and shape public perception. She recounted how Trump instructed her to produce ads not just in the U.S. but globally, ensuring that the message reached potential migrants while also countering mainstream media narratives. The campaign is framed as a direct effort to control the immigration discourse, presenting Trump’s policies as the sole truth, reports Rollingstone.com.

The initiative has drawn criticism for being an expensive, taxpayer-funded propaganda effort aimed at both discouraging immigration and boosting Trump’s image. Speaking at CPAC’s Ronald Reagan dinner, Noem described how Trump personally directed the campaign, emphasizing its role in bypassing traditional media to present his administration’s version of the immigration crisis. The ads, which thank Trump for his border policies, serve a dual purpose: deterring migrants and reinforcing his political brand among American voters. The high-profile rollout at CPAC highlights the administration’s strategy of merging governance with campaign-style self-promotion, raising concerns about the use of federal resources for political messaging.