Trump Stands Firm Behind DHS Secretary Kristi Noem as Dems Demand Ouster
President Donald Trump is standing firmly behind Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as Democrats escalate demands for her removal over recent immigration enforcement operations and deadly confrontations in Minneapolis.
Speaking to reporters last week, Trump made clear he has no intention of backing down or second-guessing his DHS chief. “I think she’s doing a very good job,” Trump said. “The border is totally secure. You forget, we had a border that I inherited where millions of people were coming through. Now, we have a border where no one is coming through.”
According to administration officials, the president personally reaffirmed his full confidence in Noem during a private phone call ahead of Thursday’s Cabinet meeting. A source close to the secretary said Trump praised her leadership at the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the U.S. Secret Service.
Despite mounting pressure from Democrats, the White House has consistently signaled that Noem’s position is not in jeopardy. That stance has remained unchanged following two fatal incidents this month involving federal immigration officers and radical agitators in Minneapolis.
Democratic leaders, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Sen. Tim Kaine, have accused Noem of running what they call an “out-of-control” enforcement operation. Both lawmakers have publicly demanded her firing or impeachment. “She’s got to go — we are dead serious,” Jeffries told reporters Thursday, warning that if Trump does not comply, “impeachment proceedings will commence.”
Noem responded forcefully to the criticism during an appearance on Hannity Thursday night, dismissing the attacks as partisan theater rather than legitimate oversight. “These radicals are attacking me, but I’m just doing my job,” she said. “I’m following the law, enforcing the laws like President Trump promised that he would do to keep people safe in this country.”
The DHS secretary also pointed to declining crime trends under Trump’s second-term agenda, crediting the administration’s immigration enforcement strategy with delivering real public safety results. She noted that violent crime and murder rates have “dropped dramatically” and vowed to stay the course. “We’re going to continue to go after these criminals,” she said. “We’re going to remove them before they have the chance to murder more Americans, to create more Angel moms, and to harm our children.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed that message earlier in the week, emphasizing that the president’s trust in Noem remains unwavering. “Secretary Noem still has the utmost confidence and trust of the president of the United States, and she’s continuing to oversee the entire Department of Homeland Security and all immigration enforcement across the country,” Leavitt said.
Trump’s public defense follows the January 24 fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, an armed radical agitator with a history of disrupting ICE operations. Two Border Patrol agents involved were placed on administrative leave pending an investigation, a routine procedure, as protests erupted across the Twin Cities.
Administration officials have repeatedly defended the operation, stressing that agents acted in self-defense and warning that the White House will not capitulate to violent demonstrations targeting law enforcement officers.
“No one should expect the president to fire a DHS secretary for doing her job,” a senior administration official said. “When the likes of Hakeem Jeffries and Tim Kaine are calling for your head, that’s usually a sign you’re doing something right.”
In response to the unrest, Trump deployed Border Czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to oversee ongoing enforcement efforts. Homan, a former acting ICE director, pledged to stay in the state “until the problem’s gone.” His deployment came as Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino was scheduled to return to Washington as part of a broader rotation of federal personnel.
Federal immigration authorities ramped up operations in the Twin Cities earlier this month following revelations of a sweeping fraud scandal involving state contracts and nonprofit organizations. The investigation has resulted in dozens of arrests, many tied to Minnesota’s Somali community. DHS officials have emphasized that the crackdown is focused on removing violent offenders and restoring order after protests repeatedly devolved into chaos.