Secret Service to get tailored suits at taxpayer expense after Kristi Noem disliked how protective detail was dressed: report

Graduates from protective detail training will get two navy blue suits with their name embroidered on the inside of the jacket, government documents show NewsWorldAmericasUS politicsSecret Service to get tailored suits at taxpayer expense after Kristi Noem disliked how protective detail was dressed: reportGraduates from protective detail training will get two navy blue suits with their name embroidered on the inside of the jacket, government documents showRachel Dobkin in New York Saturday 21 February 2026 05:13 GMTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popoverRelated: Kristi Noem says she will ensure the 'right people' vote in midterms and elect 'the right leaders'Your support helps us to tell the storyRead moreSupport NowFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreSecret Service members will get tailored suits at the expense of taxpayers after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem disliked how a protective detail was dressed, according to a new report.Graduates from protective detail training will get two navy blue suits with their name embroidered on the inside of the jacket, according to a public contract solicitation from the Department of Homeland Security, as first reported by CNN. The suits must be entirely made in the United States, the solicitation published last week states.Two people familiar with the matter told CNN Noem didn’t like the suits a protective detail had bought for themselves, prompting the new suit solicitation. The cost of the contract is yet to be determined and it will cover a five-year ordering period. open image in gallerySecret Service members will get tailored suits at the expense of taxpayers after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem disliked how a protective detail was dressed, according to a new report (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)A CNN source said the Secret Service found funding inside its current budget. It’s unclear whether the partial government shutdown will affect the solicitation, as Democrats withhold funding from DHS in a battle to reform its immigration enforcement arm. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin told CNN about the new suits, “This does not have to do with optics.”McLaughlin said that agents in the Secret Service’s Uniformed Division don’t have to pay for their on-duty clothes, but agents in protective details do. Uniformed Division officers wear protective vests and dark clothing. open image in galleryTwo people familiar with the matter told CNN Noem didn’t like the suits a protective detail had bought for themselves, prompting the new suit solicitation (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)“This is to fix the inequity that non-uniformed [officers] have to pay for their uniform,” she said. The Independent has reached out to DHS and the White House for comment. Former Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger, a Republican critic of the Trump administration, mocked the new initiative. open image in galleryFormer Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger mocked the new initiative, saying the suits ‘will look nice on the plush new jet too,’ referring to the $70 million luxury jet Immigration and Customs Enforcement is reportedly trying to buy (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)“DHS has so much money (thank GOP) that now new secret service detail agents get two new tailored suits each!” he wrote on X. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which President Donald Trump signed last summer, gave about $170 billion for immigration enforcement over the next several years. Kinzinger said the suits “will look nice on the plush new jet too,” referring to the $70 million luxury jet Immigration and Customs Enforcement is reportedly trying to buy. More aboutSecret ServiceKristi NoemHomeland SecurityJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesCommentsMost popularPopular videosBulletinRead next