Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s recent visit to a high-security prison in El Salvador has sparked controversy, particularly due to her choice of accessory – an 18-karat gold Rolex Cosmograph Daytona watch valued at approximately $50,000.
During her visit to the mega-prison known as CECOT, the country’s Terrorism Confinement Center, Noem stood in front of a crowded cell, wearing the luxury watch, and delivered a stern message to undocumented migrants. “If you come to our country illegally, this is one of the consequences you could face,” she said. “This facility is one of the tools in our toolkit that we will use if you commit crimes against the American people.”
The watch, identified as a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, is a significant departure from the more modest timepieces typically worn by presidents and high-ranking officials in recent decades. According to the New York Times, presidents have opted for more understated watches to avoid being perceived as elitist. For instance, President Joe Biden was criticized for wearing a $7,000 watch to his inauguration.
The juxtaposition of Noem’s luxury watch and the harsh prison setting has drawn criticism from human rights groups and online commentators. CECOT holds up to 40,000 people with limited access to the outside world, and its conditions have been a subject of concern. Noem’s decision to wear a $50,000 watch in such a setting has been perceived as tone-deaf and insensitive.
Adam Isacson, a representative from the human rights group Washington Office on Latin America, expressed his concerns, stating, “You’re in front of all these people in a very poor country, who are in the bottom 10 or 20 percent of their country … and it looks like you’re just flaunting your wealth while you flaunt your freedom.”
In response to the criticism, a spokesperson from the Department of Homeland Security defended Noem’s choice, stating that she had purchased the watch using proceeds from her bestselling books. However, this explanation has done little to quell the controversy surrounding Noem’s visit and her luxury watch.
