@propublica
Instagram · Faceless
@propublica A consulting firm with close ties to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem secretly got money from $220 million Department of Homeland Security ad contracts. Ad work by the Strategy Group, run by the husband of Noem’s chief DHS spokesperson, is the first known example of money flowing from Noem’s agency to businesses controlled by her allies and friends. #KristiNoem #Immigration
Performance
Video #9814 · Faceless
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The video investigates a $220 million DHS ad campaign involving Kristi Noem, exposing a web of secrecy and potential corruption. It traces the funds to a mysterious Delaware LLC and a consulting firm linked to Noem's inner circle, using public documents and photos to prove the conflict of interest before urging viewers to read the full report.
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What stops the scroll in the first 3 seconds
Verbal hook · 65%
The Department of Homeland Security's ad campaign has a money trail that's been shrouded in secrecy.
Visual hook · 35%
High-quality footage of Kristi Noem riding a horse with a large professional camera crane visible in the shot, immediately exposing the 'staged' nature of the subject matter.
[06]
Steal this for your own video
’s has a that’s been shrouded in secrecy.
[07]
The promise the opener makes, and how the video pays it back
Hook
The Scandal Tease: Immediately establishes a high-stakes financial mystery involving a recognizable authority figure.
Payoff
The Evidence Anchor: Concludes with undeniable proof of the relationship (photos/marriage details) and a directive to read the full evidence.
[08]
The structural pattern this video runs on
Framework
The Investigative Peel-Back
A progressive revelation structure that starts with a high-level mystery and systematically peels back layers of obfuscation to reveal a specific, personal conflict of interest.
The Curiosity Triad
Lists three disparate elements—a massive number, a mysterious entity, and a bizarre specific detail—to create immediate narrative intrigue.
The Official Pretext
Presents the public justification for the action, establishing the 'cover story' and the urgency used to bypass standard rules.
The Shell Game Reveal
Exposes the surface-level anomaly (e.g., a company formed just days prior) that hints at deeper impropriety.
The True Beneficiary
Identifies the actual entity receiving the funds, moving past the shell company to the real player.
The Nepotism Link
Delivers the 'smoking gun' by mapping the direct personal or familial relationship between the beneficiary and the authority figure.
A consulting firm with close ties to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem secretly got money from $220 million Department of Homeland Security ad contracts. Ad work by the Strategy Group, run by the husband of Noem’s chief DHS spokesperson, is the first known example of money flowing from Noem’s agency to businesses controlled by her allies and friends. #KristiNoem #Immigration
contextual · beginning
DHS
contextual · beginning
KRISTI NOEM, SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY
informational · middle
Safe America Media LLC
informational · middle
THE STRATEGY GROUP CO.
informational · middle
CEO Ben Yoho
contextual · middle
GOVERNOR KRISTI NOEM
call-to-action · end
Read ProPublica's full investigation at the link in bio.
informational · end
Asked about the Strategy Group's work for DHS, Tricia McLaughlin, the agency spokesperson, said in an interview, "We don't have visibility into why they were chosen."
The Department of Homeland Security's ad campaign has a money trail that's been shrouded in secrecy. It involves 220,000,000 taxpayer dollars, a mysterious Delaware LLC, and a horse named Gil. I'm Kristi No. Break our laws. We'll punish you. Noem has hailed this ad campaign as a crucial tool to stem illegal immigration. So crucial that DHS bypassed the normal competitive bidding process that federal contracts go through. On public documents, the main recipient of the $220,000,000 was a Delaware LLC created days before the deal was signed. But ProPublica found a secret beneficiary, tier strategy group, a a consulting firm with long standing personal and business ties to No and her senior aids. The strategy group played a central role in Noam's twenty twenty two reelection campaign for South Dakota governor, and the CEO is married to Noam's chief spokesperson at DHS. Read ProPublica's full investigation at the rank in bio.