According to media reports, Stephen Miller, Kristi Noem, and Marco Rubio now live in homes that were recently occupied by high-ranking officers, sources say.
Katie Miller, Stephen's wife and mother of three children, shared an incident that occurred the day after Charlie Kirk's murder. She recounted on Fox News how a stranger told her, "I am watching you," which she interpreted as a "crossing the line" protest. The Miller family has faced similar incidents before.
On the eve of Kirk's death, activists protested against the Miller family's residence in northern Arlington, Virginia, hanging posters with their address and accusations of Nazism against Stephen. The organization Arlington Neighbors United for Humanity, which unites local residents, published a statement on Instagram:
“Your attempts to undermine our democracy and destroy the social safety net here will not be tolerated.”
These protests set the backdrop for the Trump administration's response to the Kirk incident. Stephen Miller, one of the main architects of this response, known for his sharp style, announced legal measures against liberal groups, condemning “organized campaigns of dehumanization” against their family.
Security on the military base
Stephen Miller soon became part of a group of at least six high-profile officials who relocated to military bases in the Washington area. This decision provided them protection from violence and protests.
This move reflects the deep polarization in the country, in which the Trump administration itself played a significant role. These officials are now receiving protection from the armed forces, which also creates a housing shortage for senior officers.
Relocation to military bases
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem moved from her apartment in downtown Washington to a house designated for the Coast Guard commander at Joint Base Anacostia–Bolling after her address was published in the Daily Mail.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegset now reside on Generals’ Row at Fort McNair. According to representatives, Rubio recently organized an evening to gather furniture delivered the same day.
While most cabinet members prefer to live in private homes, there are precedents where high-profile national security officials have rented housing on bases for security reasons.
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, whose home in Washington is only partially used, shares a house at Joint Base Myer–Henderson Hall with another appointee from the Department of Defense. After moving in, he encountered issues with the washing machine and initially had to carry dirty laundry to General Randy George.
Additionally, another high-profile official, whose name is not disclosed, also switched from private housing to a military base after Kirk's murder, following security service recommendations.
Housing shortage
The increase in housing requests has led to the traditional Washington problem of space shortages. A former official reported that the team of National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard was unable to arrange a move to Fort McNair due to a lack of available housing.
Previously, Defense Secretaries Robert Gates and James Mattis also lived at the secured Potomac Hill Annex complex, near the State Department, while CIA Director and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo resided at Joint Base Myer–Henderson Hall.
These historic mansions not only provide security but also ample space for official events.
However, never before have so many political appointees settled on military bases, blurring the lines between civilian and military spheres.
Trump made the military a noticeable part of domestic politics, deploying the National Guard in Democrat-run cities and calling them "training grounds for fighting internal enemies."
According to Adria Lawrence, an associate professor of international studies and political science at Johns Hopkins University, “In a stable democracy, the military should protect the entire country, not just one party.”
Change in threat assessment
However, perceptions of threats have changed in recent years. Trump has survived two assassination attempts, Iran has intensified its actions against federal officials, and incidents of political violence, such as the shooting in Minnesota and the attack on an immigration center in Texas, have become a reality.
In light of this, the burden on housing for high-profile officers is increasing, with many homes needing repairs and not being suitable for families with children. In January, the army reported to Congress plans to spend over $137,000 on repairs and renovations to Hegset's home at Fort McNair before his move in. His predecessors faced protests outside their homes in northern Virginia.
Protesters, expressing dissatisfaction over the conflict in Gaza, splattered fake blood on cars outside Secretary Blinken's home, where he lived with his children.
University of Chicago political science professor Robert Pape noted that the threat of political violence concerns representatives of both parties. He also pointed out that Trump canceled security for some of his opponents, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and former National Security Advisor John Bolton, who, according to intelligence reports, was targeted for assassination by the Iranian government.
“The right balance would be for Trump to stop canceling security for former Biden administration officials,” Pape said, director of the Chicago Project on Security and Threats. “The threat exists from both sides and should be taken seriously.”
The cost of security
Civilian officials typically pay "market" rent set by the military. Thus, Hegset, according to a 2008 law regulating the housing of defense ministers, pays an amount equal to the housing allowance of a general plus 5% — $4,655.70 per month.
Sources claim that living on the base saves government funds: security does not need to rent additional spaces for duty teams.
Living on the base, in the unofficial "Trump's green zone," has become a status symbol. No one wants to put themselves in danger, and neither the Millers nor other officials wanted to leave their homes. However, secure housing creates a special sense of significance, separating its residents from others, even those who move in armored SUVs.
There is competition within the administration for the most spacious homes, reminiscent of internal struggles among generals.
Isolation
Life on military bases enhances the detachment of Trump's advisors from society. These officials, often criticizing Washington as a "hell of crime," now live in a protected bubble, far from urban life. They hardly interact with ordinary voters, neither on playgrounds nor in cafes.
After Kirk's murder, the Trump administration declared the Antifa movement a domestic terrorist organization, even though the group lacks a centralized structure and its members are not connected to the murderer.
The identities of the activists who organized protests against the Millers remain unknown.
The group Arlington Neighbors United for Humanity (ANUFH) held protests outside the homes of the Millers and the director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought.
On the ANUFH website, they speak of "strategic nonviolent actions." The activists apparently did not threaten violence, but the protests were aimed at drawing the Millers' attention to their actions. Stephen Miller, the architect of Trump's immigration policy, actively uses sharp rhetoric, accusing the Democratic Party of "domestic extremism."
“Are we going to let him live peacefully in our neighborhood while he TERRORIZES children and families? No way,” read the caption of an ANUFH post on Instagram featuring the Millers and their children.
(The Millers themselves had previously posted family photos.)
A few weeks later, the group reported that they wrote with chalk on the sidewalk outside their home, “Miller is preying on families,” but notified security in advance to avoid breaking the law.
Katie Miller responded with a video of her washing away the message “STEPHEN MILLER IS DESTROYING DEMOCRACY!” Later, on Fox News, she stated that the protesters, although not resorting to violence, incite it by creating an atmosphere that influenced Kirk's murder.
“We will not back down. We will not live in fear. We will double our efforts. Always — for Charlie,” Katie wrote, emphasizing her husband's rhetoric.
ANUFH responded on Instagram:
“WE PEACEFULLY RESIST TYRANNY.
WEAPONS KILL PEOPLE.
CHALK SCARES FASCISTS.”
In early October, the Miller family listed their six-bedroom home in northern Arlington for $3.75 million. The listing described the home as
“a rare combination of seclusion, sophistication, and stunning design.”
