Garabino Furiously Bangs Gavel As Mullin And Walkinshaw Spar Over DHS's Private Jets

Añadido: 2026-06-10

[00:00:00]in any way that we can. Thank you. I yield back.

[00:00:02]>> Gentleman yields back. Thank you very much. And I now recognize the gentleman from Virginia, Mr. Walken Shaw, for five minutes of question.

[00:00:08]>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Secretary, do you recognize this?

[00:00:12]>> Actually, no, I don't.

[00:00:13]>> Okay. You stated that you have a different management style than Secretary Gnome. And when you started, there were reports saying that DHF's DHS staff hoped that you could be the night and shining armor to repair the AY's reputation, which was damaged by your predecessor.

[00:00:33]Uh, you mentioned earlier shutdowns and the impact that shutdowns have had on DHS. There's no question that's true.

[00:00:41]One of the things that the 2025 shutdown did not impact or slow down at DHS was the purchase of luxury jets. Your predecessor purchased two Gulfream G700's and then later I think a Boeing 737 Max that they termed the big beautiful airplane during the shutdown.

[00:01:03]While DHS staff were not getting paid, the Gulf Streams had special paint and cabin enhancements. The largest cabin of any Gulfream. This is the top-of-the-line Gulfream.

[00:01:17]An expert on private planes in the industry when asked about the purchase said it was quote bizarre in that quote these jets are normally associated with billionaires. You just said you can't afford to visit the Hamptons. Neither can I.

[00:01:33]>> Okay, I can afford >> Hold on. I haven't asked you a question.

[00:01:36]On April 17th, a spokesperson from your agency said, "Under new leadership, DHS is assessing all of our resources, including aircraft, to maximize efficiency, and that you, the secretary, 100% focused on ensuring the needs of our department are met while being the best possible steward of taxpayer dollars." That's April. On May 27th, it was reported that flight logs show that you have used one of the Gulf Streams to fly to Oklahoma. the $80 million Gulfream. Have you used the Gulfream jet to fly to Oklahoma? Mr. Secretary, >> sir, under statute, I'm required uh to provide >> You use the G700. Okay. Thank you.

[00:02:17]>> No, no, no. You asked me a question, sir. Can I answer the question?

[00:02:20]>> You answered the question. You said no, I didn't.

[00:02:21]>> No, because my time over answered the question >> again. But we remember you get to ask questions. The witness gets to answer the question. By statute, I'm required.

[00:02:33]>> I'm familiar with the statute. Okay.

[00:02:34]Then you know why I have to fly a government plane.

[00:02:37]>> Yeah.

[00:02:37]>> Uh and and so my family is in Oklahoma.

[00:02:40]Like you >> claiming my time, Mr. Chairman.

[00:02:42]>> I also like your >> claiming my time. It appears to me that you assessed the aircraft and your assessment is you really like flying on the Gulf Stream >> as a senator. As a senator, >> you're making claiming my time, Mr. Chairman.

[00:02:59]>> Questions and answers.

[00:03:01]>> I didn't ask a question.

[00:03:02]>> Okay. He's making a Senator Chairman, are you going to control the witness or you're using >> suspend the clockman? Suspend the clock >> in the Senate.

[00:03:11]>> Hold on. Suspend the clock. Everything's suspended right now. Again, >> you have a statement questions.

[00:03:19]Secretary, you can address the questions when there's a question.

[00:03:25]members, as you know, we had some just read statements. If and if you if if when you have the time to answer and you want to say that something was not truthful, you can you can answer the questions. But again, this is the member's time. We will let them use it uh as long as they do within the rules as as as they see fit. When you are asked a question, you will be afforded the opportunity and the and the members should afford the member the other the witness the opportunity to answer the question.

[00:03:56]I do not want people This is This is when people are talking over each other.

[00:04:01]We're not actually getting to what we want to get to. So, let's try not to do that. I appreciate it. Uh we'll add 10 seconds back on because I did I I I I did suspend and the clock kept running.

[00:04:12]Um again, please, Mr. Secretary, if you get if if something that is said is not truthful, you can address it, but just wait for the question to be asked. Wait for the question to be asked and then you can address it.

[00:04:26]>> Question asked, sir. He's making accusations just because he's trying to make a Still me. Still me. Still me.

[00:04:32]>> Doesn't make it fact just because >> Still me. Everyone say everything I've said is a fact.

[00:04:36]>> That is not true.

[00:04:37]>> It is.

[00:04:37]>> It is not true.

[00:04:39]>> How do you think it's a truth?

[00:04:41]>> Factual because it's your opinion isn't anything. I will I will we I don't want to be here all day but we will I will adjourn this until everybody calms down.

[00:04:51]We will again if something that is said is not truthful in a statement and the secretary wants to address when he's asked a question he can say something was not truthful he he can answer the question you can ask it if you want to make your statement you will make your statement but we will not talk over each other and Mr. Secretary, if if if if you're not asked a question here and you want to address it when somebody asks you a question later, I'm sure some of the colle some of my colleagues might allow that. But again, we are not going to be talking over each other. We have only a few more W uh questioners to go through.

[00:05:29]Let's let's finish this questions, answers. If it's a statement, that's fine. But again, let's not talk over each other.

[00:05:41]Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'll share a fact. Uh, Mr. Secretary, when you were in the Senate, you voted for the so-called big beautiful bill that blew up the deficit, trillions of dollars of deficit spending, and some of that was used to buy the Gulf Streams.

[00:06:01]You are deficit riding on a Gulfream G700.

[00:06:06]So, I want to give you the opportunity to answer a question. NBC News reported recently that the department was considering selling some of the luxury purchases that your predecessor made.

[00:06:21]And as you well know, I think or certainly your deputy knows, there are other jets that could meet the needs of the secretary.

[00:06:30]There's a Gulfream G280. I don't know whether that would meet your standards.

[00:06:35]only $25 million, not $80 million.

[00:06:39]You have aircraft in the Coast Guard fleet. Folks who work for you are flying. M MH65, a helicopter. They've been flying it since 1984.

[00:06:50]But Secretary Gnome, you need a brand new shiny Gulfream G700. So my question for you is, will you commit today to sell the Gulf Streams? sell the big beautiful plane, the 737 Max, and put that money maybe into helping Mr. Loa's constituents who can barely get by on their housing allowance.

[00:07:14]>> Actually, those planes are inside the Coast Guard. So, they were actually purchased for the Coast Guard.

[00:07:19]>> Will you sell the planes?

[00:07:22]>> Why do I need to sell them, sir? We need assets inside the Coast Guard just like the DO.

[00:07:25]>> So, you're you want to keep the Gulfream, you want to keep the 737 Max, you got to have top of the line.

[00:07:32]737 Max is actually detailed to the executive branch. Yeah. And I have never seen it. Oh, actually I seen it. I drove by it. I've never I've never seen >> Have you flown the Gulf Stream to Oklahoma?

[00:07:42]>> Of course I have. I'm required to.

[00:07:44]>> All right. I yield back.

[00:07:45]>> Actually, I don't fly it personally myself because I'm not a pilot.

[00:07:49]>> Gentleman yields back. I