US Homeland Security Secretary's purse containing $3,000 gets stolen from Washington restaurant
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during a news conference to announce the re-launch of the VOICE office, Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement, with families of victims behind her, at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement headquarters, April 9, 2025, in Washington. Photo by AP
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem reported her purse, containing US$3,000 in cash and important documents, was stolen from a restaurant in Washington.
The theft occurred on April 20, though Noem only disclosed the incident to reporters the next day at the White House Easter Egg Roll. Along with the cash, she lost her passport, driver's license, and apartment keys.
When asked why Noem had so much cash on hand, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said: "Her entire family was in town including her children and grandchildren — she was using the withdrawal to treat her family to dinner, activities, and Easter gifts," NBC News reported.
As head of the Department of Homeland Security, Noem is protected by Secret Service agents. NBC News cited a witness who noted, "At least two plainclothes Secret Service agents" were present at the restaurant's bar when the incident happened.
It remains unclear whether the theft was a targeted act or a random crime.
According to CNN, the Secret Service reviewed footage from Capital Burger's security cameras and observed a man wearing a medical mask stealing her purse before fleeing the scene.
Noem declined to comment on the matter, citing the ongoing investigation.
Noem is known for her staunch support of President Donald Trump's strict immigration policies.
In March, she visited El Salvador, where she toured a prison housing hundreds of Venezuelans recently deported from the U.S. The visit drew social media attention as she chose to wear a gold Rolex to visit one of the world's most notorious prisons.
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