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Fact check: How does Kristi Noem's jet usage compare to other governors in the US?
Executive Summary
Kristi Noem’s jet usage as governor of South Dakota was modest in logged state-plane flights during spring 2024, with public flight logs showing nine flights between March and May 2024 largely for in-state travel, official business and some out-of-state speaking appearances; however, comparisons broaden substantially when including her later role as a federal Cabinet member and reported purchases of high-end government aircraft for her office [1] [2] [3]. The debate hinges on two different baselines: state-level routine use by governors, where Noem’s recorded 2024 flights fall within a small-to-moderate range, and federal executive mobility where recent federal purchases of two Gulfstream G700s to serve Noem and other senior leaders have triggered political controversy over cost and necessity [1] [3] [4].
1. Flight logs tell one story — the governor who flew nine times in a narrow window
Official and local reporting of state-plane usage by Governor Noem covers a specific interval in 2024 and shows nine documented flights between March 13 and May 30, 2024, primarily for short in-state trips and a handful of out-of-state appearances tied to official duties and a book tour; those logs do not indicate a pattern of excessive or continuous jet use compared with anecdotal portrayals but also do not offer a comprehensive multi-year baseline for definitive ranking among governors [1]. The KELOLAND report provides concrete trip counts and destinations but explicitly does not compare that usage to other governors, leaving a gap that critics and defenders both exploit: critics point to out-of-state speaking engagements as questionable during state crises, while supporters note that many governors routinely use state aircraft for constituent and ceremonial duties, making simple counts an incomplete metric [1] [2].
2. Federal jet purchases change the frame — luxury jets and a national debate
When the conversation shifts to Noem’s role at the federal level, the Department of Homeland Security’s procurement of two Gulfstream G700 jets for roughly $172–$200 million combined reframes the issue from state-plane usage to federal executive mobility and procurement; reporting documents Republican-led defense and homeland-security needs for rapid, secure, long-range travel, while Democratic lawmakers and some outlets criticize the timing and price, especially amid budgetary stress or a government shutdown narrative [3] [5] [4]. DHS’s public justification centers on safety, command-and-control capability, and mission readiness for Cabinet-level officials and senior military leaders, but the optics of high-end business jets for use by a Cabinet secretary previously criticized for personal travel choices has amplified scrutiny and partisan messaging [3] [4].
3. Comparing governors requires consistent metrics — cost, trips, purpose and transparency
Any fair interstate comparison must normalize across four dimensions: number of trips, distance and duration of flights, official purpose documented in logs, and per-trip cost or opportunity cost to taxpayers. The public record on Noem at the state level provides trip counts but not a full cost accounting or standardized purpose classification, making apples-to-apples ranking against other governors impossible from the available documents; national reporters note this data gap and caution against quick conclusions, while political opponents often present isolated examples to shape public perception [1] [2]. Absent a uniform national database of gubernatorial flight hours, expenses, and mission justifications, comparisons will remain contested and heavily influenced by selective disclosures and partisan framing.
4. Political narratives drive attention more than aggregated data
Coverage in 2024–2025 shows that stories about Noem’s travel rapidly become proxies for larger debates: state responsiveness during emergencies, private-public boundary questions when governors monetize national profiles, and federal procurement priorities when a former governor becomes a Cabinet secretary [2] [3] [5]. Critics — including House Democrats who publicly decried the jet purchases — emphasize perceived luxury and timing, framing the procurement as misplaced priorities during fiscal strain; defenders stress the operational needs for secure, long-range mobility for senior officials and point to procedural procurement channels DHS used, shifting the conversation to mission adequacy rather than personal preference [5] [3].
5. What the public record supports and where questions remain
The verified record establishes that Governor Noem made nine state-plane flights in the documented spring 2024 window and that the Department of Homeland Security later procured two Gulfstream G700s for senior leaders, including Noem, prompting partisan criticism and agency defense on operational grounds [1] [3] [4]. Key uncertainties persist: there is no standardized national dataset in the cited reporting to definitively rank governors by jet usage or cost; the precise per-flight cost allocation and mission-necessity metrics for both state and federal flights are not uniformly reported; and partisan press releases and critiques color interpretations, meaning any comparative claim must be limited to the existing public records rather than sweeping conclusions [1] [3] [5].