EXCLUSIVE: Newly obtained financial statements shed light on claims that former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin’s husband’s company made millions from a DHS advertising campaign.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem faced intense questioning during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday, and Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., specifically called out the agency for contracting a public relations firm headed by McLaughlin’s husband, Benjamin Yoho.

«I have personally reviewed the allegations against Ms. McLaughlin, and I find them to be baseless,» DHS General Counsel James Percival told Fox News Digital. «Nothing illegal or unethical occurred with respect to these contracts. Ms. McLaughlin was not involved in selecting any subcontractors.

«She is, however, a superstar in the public affairs world, so I am not surprised that she married a successful businessman whose services were attractive to these outside firms.»

Kennedy alleged that Yoho’s firm, The Strategy Group, «got most of the money» out of what the Louisiana Republican senator says was $220 million in «television advertisements that feature [Noem] prominently.»

«I’m sorry,» Kennedy said. «Safe America Media was a company formed 11 days before you picked them. And that the Strategy Group got most of the money. And the head of that is married to your former spokesperson.»

«It’s just hard for me to believe knowing the president as I do, that you said, ‘Mr. President, here’s some ads I’ve cut, and I’m going to spend $220 million running them,’ that he would have agreed to that,» Kennedy explained. «I don’t think Russ Vought at OMB [Office of Management and Budget] would have agreed to that.»

‘YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED!’: PROTESTER DRAGGED FROM KRISTI NOEM’S SENATE HEARING

Senate scrutiny intensified over a DHS advertising campaign after Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., questioned whether a firm linked to McLaughlin’s husband benefited unfairly. DHS officials and the company deny any wrongdoing or multimillion-dollar profits. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The Strategy Group is a conservative advertising agency for which Yoho serves as CEO.

Figures obtained by Fox News Digital show a slightly lesser total advertising expenditure of approximately $185 million, with a total of roughly $146.5 million going to a campaign called «Save America.»

However, of the total that went to «Save America,» roughly $348,000 went to production costs, while the remaining $142 million went to «media buys.»

Sources at DHS say that media buys are the cost of actually buying the ads themselves, whether purchased from social media or for a TV ad.

Kennedy also alleged that the bidding process for the contracts never took place and that Safe America Media’s recent founding was a cause for concern and collusion between McLaughlin and her husband’s business. 

WATCH THE MOST VIRAL MOMENTS AS KRISTI NOEM’S HEARING GOES OFF THE RAILS

Debate over DHS’ «Save America» ad campaign intensified as senators challenged its costs and contractor ties, even as agency officials touted the initiative as a historic success in promoting self-deportation. (Graeme Sloan/Getty Images)

«Yes they did,» Noem responded during the hearing. «They went out to a competitive bid, and career officials at the department chose who would do those advertising commercials.»

The Strategy Group posted to X Tuesday that it never had a contract with the department. While it did receive several hundred thousand dollars for production costs associated with the advertising campaigns, The Strategy Group never made millions.

«The Strategy Group has never had a contract with DHS,» the post said. «We had a subcontract with Safe America [Media] for limited production services. Safe America paid us $226,137.17 total for 5 film shoots, 45 produced video advertisements and 6 produced radio advertisements.

DHS SPOKESWOMAN TRICIA MCLAUGHLIN TO LEAVE TRUMP ADMIN, SOURCE CONFIRMS

Critics raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest in a high-dollar DHS advertising effort, but department representatives say McLaughlin recused herself and that subcontracting decisions were made independently. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

«If you’re going to try to question our integrity, bring actual evidence — we did,» the post concluded.

Because these ads were purchased using public funds, all contract totals are publicly available. 

Lauren Bis, who took up the role of assistant secretary once McLaughlin left office, told Fox News Digital Tuesday that scrutiny from Republicans and Democrats over the advertising spending was unjustified because the campaigns resulted in «the most successful ad campaign in U.S. history.»

«Sanctuary politicians are attacking this ad campaign because it has been successful in CLOSING our borders and getting more than 2.2 million illegal aliens to LEAVE the U.S.,» Bis said. 

«The DHS domestic and international ad campaign was the most successful ad campaign in U.S. history. The results speak for themselves: 2.2 million illegal aliens self-deported, and we now have the most secure border in American history.»

KRISTI NOEM TO FACE SENATE GRILLING OVER MINNEAPOLIS SHOOTINGS AS DHS SHUTDOWN HITS WEEK 3

The Trump administration reaffirmed that all illegal immigrants are eligible for deportations as they focus on arresting violent criminals first.  (Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

Bis also compared the cost of arresting and deporting an illegal migrant to that of the minimal cost of an illegal migrant self-deporting. The department says the advertising campaign played a key role in marketing self-deportation.

A spokesperson at DHS also told Fox News Digital that contractors decide who they hire, fulfilling the terms of a contract, not the department itself. 

«By law, DHS cannot and does not determine, control or weigh in on who contractors hire or use to fulfill the terms of the contract,» a DHS spokesperson told Fox. «Those decisions are made by the contractor alone. We have only become aware of these companies because of this inquiry and did not hire those companies.»

The spokesperson also noted that McLaughlin «recused herself» from interactions with subcontractors to avoid «any perceived appearance of impropriety.»

«Upon hearing who the subcontractors were for production of the ad, Ms. McLaughlin recused herself from any interaction or engagement with any subcontractors to avoid any perceived appearance of impropriety,» the spokesperson continued. «DHS Office of Public Affairs is the program officer. Ms. McLaughlin oversees the DHS Office of Public Affairs, which is simply the vehicle for this contract.»

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem takes her seat as she arrives to testify during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

McLaughlin told Fox News Digital the criticism of her and her family by senators at the hearing is a matter of public manipulation.

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«This is yet another example of politicians intentionally trying to dupe and manipulate the public to try to manufacture division and anger,» McLaughlin told Fox News Digital. «The ad spend and contracts are a matter of public record, and the process was done by the book.

«These politicians would rather smear private citizens and American small businesses than do any basic research.»

Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.

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El primer ministro de Canadá, Mark Carney, afirmó que no podría descartar la participación militar de su país en la creciente guerra en Medio Oriente.

En una visita a Australia, marcada por la expansión del conflicto tras el ataque estadounidense-israelí que abatió al líder supremo iraní, Ali Khamenei, Carney fue consultado en Canberra junto al primer ministro local, Anthony Albanese, sobre la posibilidad de una intervención canadiense.

“Nunca se puede descartar categóricamente la participación”, declaró Carney, aunque calificó la cuestión de “hipotética”. En ese sentido, afirmó que Canadá apoyará a sus aliados e hizo hincapié en que “siempre defenderá a los canadienses” en primer lugar.

El líder del Partido Liberal canadiense calificó previamente los ataques contra Irán como “incompatibles con el derecho internacional”, pero expresó su respaldo a los esfuerzos para impedir que el régimen iraní obtenga armas nucleares, posición que adoptó “con pesar” al considerarla un reflejo del fracaso del orden internacional.

Carney reiteró su llamado a la “desescalada” del conflicto. Su viaje por Asia y el Pacífico busca reducir la dependencia de Estados Unidos y fortalecer lazos con otros países de “potencia media”. En el Parlamento australiano, instó a estas naciones a cooperar para influir en las nuevas reglas del sistema internacional, advirtiendo que “las grandes potencias pueden obligar, pero la coacción tiene costos”.

El primer ministro anunció la unión de Canadá y Australia como “colaboradores estratégicos” para aprovechar sus recursos minerales de tierras raras y detalló acuerdos en defensa e inteligencia artificial. “Sabemos que debemos trabajar con otros que comparten nuestros valores para construir capacidades sólidas”, dijo, alertando sobre el riesgo de quedar “atrapados entre los hiperescaladores y los hegemones”.

El líder canadiense expresó el sábado pasado el respaldo de Canadá a los ataques lanzados por Estados Unidos e Israel contra el régimen ayatollah, al que calificó como “principal fuente de inestabilidad y terrorismo en todo Medio Oriente”.

En primer lugar, reafirmó, el mismo día que estalló el conflicto, “el derecho de Israel a defenderse y a garantizar la seguridad de su población”. “Canadá respalda la actuación de Estados Unidos para impedir que Irán obtenga un arma nuclear y para evitar que su régimen siga amenazando la paz y la seguridad internacionales”, sostuvo en un comunicado.

Carney subrayó que la posición de Canadá “sigue siendo clara”: “La República Islámica de Irán es la principal fuente de inestabilidad y terrorismo en todo Medio Oriente, tiene uno de los peores historiales de derechos humanos del mundo y nunca debe permitírsele obtener o desarrollar armas nucleares”.

Carney destacó que, pese a los intentos diplomáticos, Irán “no desmanteló por completo su programa nuclear, no ha detenido todas las actividades de enriquecimiento ni ha puesto fin a su apoyo a grupos terroristas regionales que actúan como fuerzas subsidiarias”.

Finalmente, el primer ministro manifestó su solidaridad con el pueblo iraní “en su larga y valiente lucha contra el régimen opresivo de Irán”.

Ese mismo día, el presidente de Francia, Emmanuel Macron, advirtió que la escalada en Medio Oriente es “peligrosa para todos”. En un mensaje publicado en X, el mandatario señaló que el “desencadenamiento de la guerra entre Estados Unidos, Israel e Irán tiene graves consecuencias para la paz y la seguridad internacional”.

“La escalada actual es peligrosa para todos. Debe cesar. El régimen iraní debe comprender que ya no le queda otra opción que entablar negociaciones de buena fe para poner fin a su programa nuclear y balístico, así como a sus acciones de desestabilización regional”, sostuvo Macron.

(Con información de AFP)

American stealth bombers are expected to land at U.K. military bases within days to join the U.S.-Israel campaign against Iran, according to reports.

Citing unnamed senior Western officials, The Telegraph reported Wednesday that air bases at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire are being readied for the arrival of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers — the $2 billion strategic bomber is also known as the world’s most expensive aircraft.

The bombers are understood to be landing at the U.K. bases «in a matter of days» as Washington intensifies operations in the region, the outlet reported.

As previously reported by Fox News Digital, the U.S. military used stealth B-2 bombers to strike Iranian ballistic missile facilities Feb. 28 as part of the launch of Operation Epic Fury.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that B-2 stealth bombers, which were equipped with 2,000-pound bombs, struck Iranian «hardened» ballistic missile sites.

The U.S. was cleared to use British bases for limited strikes on Iran’s missile capabilities on Feb. 29 after Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed off on the plan, and while U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey stated Britain had «stepped up alongside the Americans.»

Starmer said the authorization was granted to protect U.K. and U.S. allies as the conflict escalated. He had previously said he would not allow American forces to use U.K. bases for offensive operations in the region.

Tensions have since been heightened in the U.K. by security incidents in Cyprus. RAF Akrotiri, a key British military base on the island, was struck by a suspected drone on March 2, causing minor damage.

IRAN’S DRONE SWARM ATTACKS UNLEASH ‘EXPONENTIAL COSTS’ ON US, PROLONGING WAR: ‘ASYMMETRIC CAPABILITY’

Several B-2 Spirit Stealth Bombers are seen on a runway at the Whiteman Air Force Base.  (Whiteman Air Force Base)

The unmanned aircraft was reported to resemble an Iranian-made Shahed drone, similar to models used by Russia in Ukraine and by Tehran’s regional proxies.

The Ministry of Defense said force-protection measures were at the «highest level» and that the base had taken steps to defend personnel. About 4,000 service members and their families are based at RAF Akrotiri.

The U.S. State Department raised its travel advisory for Cyprus to Level 3, urging Americans to reconsider travel because of the threat of armed conflict and limited consular assistance in parts of the country.

Non-emergency embassy staff and family members were authorized to leave. Officials said the advisory change reflected adjustments in embassy operations rather than a direct change in underlying risk.

EX-CENTCOM CHIEF DETAILS ‘EXQUISITE INTELLIGENCE’ BEHIND IRAN STRIKES, SAYS NEXT STEPS HINGE ON ‘MISSILE MATH’

President Donald Trump blasted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer March 3, 2026, saying «this is not Winston Churchill we are dealing with,» amid a lack of support for the United States’ and Israel’s joint military operation against Iran. (Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images ; PA Images via Getty Images ; Jonathan Brady/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

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Trump had called Britain «uncooperative» and slammed Starmer as «not Winston Churchill» after Starmer initially rebuffed a U.S. request to use U.K. bases to attack Iran, according to The Associated Press.

Trump has also condemned Britain’s agreement to hand over the Chagos Islands, home to the Diego Garcia base, to Mauritius.

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