Liberal outlets criticize Trump officials relocating to military housing after threats, harassment

Some senior Trump administration officials have reportedly moved into Washington, D.C.-area military housing amid heightened harassment and threats — a move that has drawn criticism from left-leaning media outlets.

The Atlantic reported last week that White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller and his family recently relocated to military housing after facing ongoing protests outside their home in Arlington, Virginia. 

The report noted that at least six senior Trump officials have taken similar action, with several citing safety concerns for themselves and their families.

Protesters reportedly posted fliers in the Millers' neighborhood with their home address, labeling Miller a "Nazi" who was responsible for "crimes against humanity." The group Arlington Neighbors United for Humanity also organized sidewalk chalk protests leaving messages accusing Miller of "destroying democracy," "kidnapping," and "White nationalism," according to the Arlington outlet ARLnow.

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Stephen Miller and Katie Miller attend the White House Easter Egg Roll in 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

The group also posted a message to Instagram on Sept. 11 telling the couple, "Your efforts to dismantle our democracy and destroy our social safety net will not be tolerated here."

In September, Katie Miller told Fox News' Sean Hannity that one protester told her, "I’m watching you," as she was leaving her house.

Left-leaning outlets, including The New Republic and The Daily Beast, criticized the administration figures for the move, suggesting they were attempting to avoid public backlash over President Donald Trump’s administration. 

"White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller is one of a handful of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet members who are hiding out on military bases so they don’t have to be exposed to the public that hates them," an op-ed in The New Republic stated. 

A journalist at The Daily Beast similarly wrote that "Top White House aide Stephen Miller has become the latest Trump administration official to score a taxpayer-subsidized military home, shielding him from the type of people he hates the most: left-wing agitators." 

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Protesters gather for the "No Kings Day" demonstration in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 18, 2025. (Fox News Digital/Emma Woodhead)

A headline in The Independent described the officials as adopting a "bunker mentality."

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is another senior official who has relocated because of increased threats. 

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital in August that Noem moved into housing on Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling after facing "a surge in death threats and "vicious doxxing" following a media outlet’s disclosure of her Washington, D.C., apartment address.

The Washington Post reported in August that Noem was not paying rent for her temporary home, which was mentioned in some of the critical coverage. However, McLaughlin confirmed to The Independent that Noem is currently "paying fair market value for her temporary use of the facility."

Another senior White House official who spoke to the Atlantic on the condition of anonymity said they relocated to military housing in response to a specific foreign threat.

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DHS Secretary Kristi Noem speaks at a news conference in Washington, D.C., following her relocation in August 2025. (Alex Brandon-Pool/Getty Images)

Other senior officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, are reportedly living in historic officer housing at Fort McNair, commonly known as "Generals’ Row," according to multiple media reports.

While there is precedent for senior national-security officials residing in military housing, The Atlantic reported that the number of senior Trump appointees doing so now is higher than in previous administrations.

"It is an ominous marker of the nation’s polarization, to which the Trump administration has itself contributed, that some of those top public servants have felt a need to separate themselves from the public," The Atlantic reported on the trend. "These civilian officials can now depend on the U.S. military to augment their personal security. But so many have made the move that they are now straining the availability of housing for the nation’s top uniformed officers."

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White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson gave the following statement to Fox News Digital in response to the media coverage: "Deranged leftist lunatics have targeted not only President Trump — who survived two assassination attempts — but also members of his Administration."

"This is a direct result of elected Democrats repeatedly smearing Republicans as Nazis and fascists. Democrats are inciting their followers to plot and take violent action against political opponents. Mainstream media outlets should be asking Democrats why they are fomenting political violence, rather than attacking individuals for wanting safety," she added.

The development comes after a recent study alleged left-wing political violence is at a 30-year high after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated in September.

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In a social media post following Kirk's death, Katie Miller vowed to "not back down" in his memory.

"To the ‘Tolerant Left’ who spent their day trying to intimidate us in the house where we have three young children: We will not back down. We will not cower in fear. We will double down. Always, For Charlie," she wrote.