A glistening, 18-karat gold Rolex. A prison filled with alleged gang members. And a Homeland Security Secretary who has built her brand on “America First” populism. It was a scene designed to send a message about border security. Instead, it set social media on fire.
On Wednesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited El Salvador’s infamous Terrorism Confinement Center, a maximum-security facility that now holds over 200 Venezuelan migrants deported under a recent Trump administration crackdown. But it wasn’t just the towering prison walls or the men locked behind bars that drew attention—it was the $50,000 Rolex Cosmograph Daytona gleaming on Noem’s wrist.
The watch, known as the “exotic sports car” of Rolex timepieces, is one of the brand’s most exclusive models, with resale prices soaring beyond retail. Its presence at a prison synonymous with suffering and strict discipline struck many as a tone-deaf contrast.
Kristi Noem’s Rolex quickly became a symbol of hypocrisy for critics who question the Trump administration’s claims of being a movement for the “forgotten American.”
“Tell me again how these Trumpers are just regular folks rather than wealthy oligarchs looting and grifting America,” wrote attorney Tristan Snell on X (formerly Twitter).
Others saw it as an unintentional self-own. A viral TikTok video from user @davidwontshutup mocked the visit, saying, “What did we learn from this video where they’re using people as props, men behind cages to present theatrics to the world? We learn if you’re gonna do it, get your Daytona Rolex Watch.”
The criticism highlights a growing rift within Republican politics—one that pits working-class supporters against a leadership increasingly accused of flaunting wealth while pushing tough-on-crime and anti-immigration policies.
As backlash mounted, the Department of Homeland Security stepped in to defend Kristi Noem’s luxury accessory.
“Governor Noem chose to use the proceeds from her New York Times best-selling books to purchase an item she could wear and one day pass down to her children,” Tricia McLaughlin, the department’s assistant secretary for public affairs, told Business Insider.
It’s a personal choice, certainly. But it’s also one that plays into a broader debate about the optics of wealth in politics, particularly within a populist movement that has long positioned itself as a rebellion against the elites.
Paul Altieri, founder of Bob’s Watches, an online Rolex marketplace, weighed in on the watch’s significance.
“It’s bold, flashy, and unmistakably high-end,” Altieri said. “Within the Rolex family, the Daytona is like the exotic sports car—powerful, expensive, and built for those who want to stand out.”
That desire to “stand out” is precisely what has fueled Noem’s rise in the Trump administration. Once a South Dakota governor with national ambitions, she has transformed herself into one of Trump’s most loyal enforcers on immigration and homeland security.
Her visit to El Salvador was meant to showcase the administration’s aggressive deportation policies. Instead, it became a debate about who truly benefits from Trumpism.
Beyond the Rolex controversy, Noem’s visit underscores a significant shift in U.S. immigration enforcement. The mass deportation of Venezuelan men to El Salvador is part of a broader push to curb illegal immigration by using strong-arm tactics.
“This is what happens if you come to our country illegally,” Kristi Noem declared in a video she posted on X, standing in front of caged prisoners.
But human rights groups have warned that El Salvador’s prisons, notorious for their harsh conditions, may not offer due process protections for deported individuals. The move has also drawn criticism from international watchdogs who question the legality of deporting asylum seekers to third-party nations with questionable human rights records.
The Rolex, in this context, becomes more than just an expensive accessory. It’s a reflection of the disconnect between political branding and real-world policy consequences.
For Kristi Noem, the uproar is unlikely to cause lasting damage. She’s been in the political arena long enough to weather controversies. And Trump’s base has proven remarkably resilient to criticisms of wealth and privilege within their ranks.
But it does highlight a growing tension. Can a movement built on economic frustration and working-class identity continue to thrive when its leaders embrace the very luxuries they claim to reject?
For now, Kristi Noem’s Rolex is just another flashpoint in a larger debate. One about power, image, and whether America’s political elite truly practice what they preach.
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