US Presidential right-hand man Stephen Miller, shortly after the death of Charlie Kirk, joined the growing list of senior Trump administration officials - at least six by journalists' count - who are living in military housing in Washington, where they are protected not only from potential violence but also from protests. It's an ominous marker of the polarization of the nation to which the Trump administration itself has contributed that some of these officials have felt the need to separate themselves from the public. These civilian officials can now rely on the US military to enhance their personal security. However, so many administration officials did so that they became an obstacle to the country's top officers obtaining housing, writes The Atlantic.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem moved out of her D.C. apartment and into a house earmarked for a Coast Guard commander at Joint Base Anastasia-Bolling after the Daily Mail described where she lived.. Both Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth live on General's Row at Fort McNair, an Army enclave along the Anacostia River..

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Another senior White House official, whom The Atlantic is not naming for security reasons related to the specific foreign threat, also left a private home and moved to a military base after Kirk's killing.. In this case, security officials strongly recommended that the official move to military housing.

There are isolated examples from previous administrations when cabinet members lived on bases. Both Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and Jim Mattis, Trump's first Pentagon chief, lived in Navy housing on Potomac Hill, a secure compound near the State Department.. Mike Pompeo, CIA director and Secretary of State in Trump's first term, lived at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.

Living on base—Trump's unofficial Green Zone—has also become something of a double-edged status symbol among Trump officials.. Nobody wants to deal with threats; both the Millers and the unnamed official were not seeking to move from the home. But safe housing does give the recipient a certain sheen of importance that sets them apart from all the bureaucrats being driven around in armored black SUVs. Administration officials are now competing for the biggest houses, similar to the behind-the-scenes maneuvering that has long occurred among senior military officers..

Recall that Charlie Kirk was killed in Utah. The 31-year-old blogger was an active critic of liberal ideas and opposed aid to Kyiv. He criticized American military aid to Ukraine, arguing that “few Americans can find it on a map.”.

In addition, he called the eastern regions of Ukraine historically Russian territories, and also spread conspiracy theories about US-funded biological laboratories in Ukraine. During a speech at the Pentagon, Trump said he would posthumously award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom.. This is the highest civilian honor of the United States, given by presidents to people who have made significant contributions in various fields, including culture and public service..