By VDC staff

U.S. Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont this week oined two other senators in challenging Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin over a $464 million no-bid aircraft purchase — while agreeing with Mullin on at least one central point: the contract originated under Mullin’s predecessor, Kristi Noem.

Welch, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Adam Schiff of California  (all Democrats) in a letter seeking records and explanations concerning the Department of Homeland Security’s purchase of 10 aircraft from Daedalus Aviation Corporation, a Virginia company chaired by William Walters, described by the senators as a political ally of President Donald Trump.

The senators said recent reporting shows DHS began pursuing the aircraft deal in fall 2025, during Noem’s tenure as secretary. The purchase included three luxury business jets and seven Boeing 737 passenger aircraft.

“Although DHS claims that the contract was undertaken during Secretary Noem’s tenure, contracting records indicate that the cost of the contract ‘increased by $303 million on the day that Mr. Mullin was sworn in as secretary,’” Welch, Blumenthal and Schiff wrote.

The distinction is significant because the senators are not disputing Mullin’s assertion that the procurement process began before he took office. Instead, they are asking him to explain why the contract grew dramatically on his first day as secretary and why aircraft purchased under the deal have reportedly remained largely unused.

“The apparent waste generated by idle, multi-million-dollar government assets belies the Department’s claim of urgency,” the senators wrote. They said there is no public indication that the aircraft have been used for DHS’s stated purpose of removing noncitizens from the United States.

The lawmakers also questioned the relationship between DHS contractors and former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, who served as a special government employee and adviser at the department.

According to the senators, Walters has ties to Salus Worldwide Solutions Corporation, which received a $915 million contract in 2025 for air operations connected to the Trump administration’s effort to encourage undocumented immigrants to leave the country voluntarily.

The senators cited public reporting alleging that a Salus representative approached a potential subcontractor with proposals under which the firm would receive DHS work if it directed millions of dollars in payments to Lewandowski or consulting firms connected to him. The allegations have not been proven in court.

Welch and Blumenthal had previously sought information from DHS about Lewandowski’s role in contracting decisions. The senators also have asked two companies connected to the allegations to preserve records in anticipation of possible investigations.

“Congress and the American people deserve the Department’s full and prompt transparency with respect to the shocking waste of taxpayer funds and potential corruption involved in the Department’s aircraft purchase and widespread no-bid contracting,” Welch, Blumenthal and Schiff wrote.

The senators said their offices are reviewing the allegations to determine whether federal procurement and honest-services laws may need legislative changes.–