What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Yes—Kristi Noem said Donald Trump personally ordered the first advertisement to thank him for “closing the border.” Noem gave that account at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February 2025. It remains her public description of the conversation, rather than an independently released transcript or recording.
What Noem said Trump asked her to do
Noem, then secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said she had proposed holding more news conferences. According to her CPAC account, Trump instead asked for a marketing campaign so people would know what he called “the truth” about the administration’s immigration actions.
She said Trump then told her: “I want the first ad, I want you to thank me. I want you to thank me for closing the border.” Noem said she answered: “Yes, sir. I will thank you for closing the border.” The Associated Press and the Los Angeles Times reported those remarks, and a later House committee letter reproduced them.
What the DHS campaign was supposed to do
DHS announced a nationwide and international advertising campaign in February 2025. The department described its purpose as persuading people who were in the United States unlawfully to leave immediately and discouraging illegal immigration. The spots also promoted the administration’s border policies and featured Noem thanking Trump.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute#1 Best Overall
In its procurement justification, DHS said: “Any delay in providing these critical communications to the public will increase the spread of misinformation.” That statement explains the department’s urgency rationale; it does not establish how effective the campaign was.
How much money was committed
The campaign was initially described publicly as costing up to $200 million. Later reporting by ProPublica said awarded contracts totaled $220 million so far, while noting that the final all-in cost had not been established.
| Item | Amount or status | What is known |
|---|---|---|
| Initial public description | Up to $200 million | DHS’s February 2025 announcement described the potential size of the campaign. |
| People Who Think | $77 million | ProPublica identified this portion of the reported awards. |
| Safe America Media | $143 million | ProPublica identified this portion; the disposition of much of it was not publicly disclosed in that report. |
| Reported awards in total | $220 million so far | ProPublica’s figure reflects contracts reported as awarded, not a final audited total or proof that every dollar had been spent. |
For a household trying to determine the taxpayer cost, the practical distinction is important: the public record described potential spending first, then reported contract awards, but did not establish the final amount paid, every subcontractor, or all remaining obligations.
Why the contracting process drew scrutiny
Expedited procurement
On March 10, 2025, the Associated Press and the Los Angeles Times reported that DHS did not use a fully competitive bidding process for the first awards. The department invoked the border emergency and an “unusual and compelling urgency.” DHS said career officials oversaw a competitive process under its interpretation and that People Who Think and Safe America Media shared the contract.
The two awardees
A House Democratic committee letter said People Who Think had ties to Trump’s 2016 campaign through media adviser Jay Connaughton. The same letter said Safe America Media received an initial $16 million task order. AP reported that Safe America Media was a Delaware limited-liability company incorporated shortly before the solicitation and used an address associated with Republican consultant Mike McElwain.
Those facts prompted questions about vendor relationships and whether the government received adequate competition. They are not, by themselves, a final determination that the awards were unlawful.
What viewers saw in the ads
AP described spots showing Noem before American flags, campaign-style images of Trump signing executive orders and traveling on Air Force One, migrants crossing the Rio Grande, and police cars with sirens.
One advertisement used the warning: “If you are here illegally, we will find you and deport you. You will never return.” ProPublica later described a Mount Rushmore spot that opened with Noem saying, “From the cowboys who tamed the West to the titans who built our cities, America has always rewarded vision and grit,” followed by, “You cross the border illegally, we’ll find you.”
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Where the ads ran
AdImpact data cited by AP showed more than $2 million in English-language television placements compared with about $360,000 in Spanish-language placements at the early reporting stage. The campaign ran most heavily in Phoenix, Boston, Los Angeles, New York and Dallas. Tracking also showed placements on Fox News in larger markets, particularly around Washington and Philadelphia.
These figures describe tracked early placements, not the campaign’s complete media spend or its final audience.
What oversight has established—and what it has not
On March 21, 2025, a House Democratic committee requested records on spending, procurement and vendor relationships. The letter raised concerns about ad placement and the awardees’ connections to Trump political operations, and questioned whether taxpayer funds might have been misused.
The request sought information; it did not announce a final legal conclusion. The available reporting also does not establish a definitive court or inspector-general ruling that the ads violated federal law. Questions remained about the final expenditure, the complete subcontracting chain and how Safe America Media distributed much of its reported $143 million.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Bottom line for taxpayers
Noem’s own CPAC account is the basis for saying Trump wanted the first ad to thank him. DHS presented the broader campaign as an anti-illegal-immigration communication effort, but the ads used presidential praise and campaign-style imagery. Public descriptions moved from “up to $200 million” to $220 million in reported contract awards, while the final cost and much of one contractor’s spending remained unresolved. Oversight inquiries identified procurement and political-connection concerns without reaching a final legal finding.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
