DHS Secretary Noem: You’re Fired! President Trump Removes From Her Post – Local, National Politicians Weigh In

While we’re not certain that President Trump actually used these famous words (from The Apprentice decades ago), it is clear that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem has been removed from her post.  

According to reporting by the Daily Mail, those she was in charge of literally celebrated her ousting with smiles, high fives, and parties. It should be noted that this firing does not necessarily mean that there will be any change at DHS because of it, but apparently the secretary was terrible for morale among her workers.

It has been reported that the reason she was let go, or the ‘final straw,’ was her testimony about the $220 million ad campaign in which she herself was featured.  Some said she was upstaging her boss, the president.  But, importantly, she testified that President Trump had personally approved that ad campaign, but when he was asked about it, he told the media he had not known anything about it or had anything to do with it. In light of everything that had happened up until that point, an ad depicting her on a horse in front of Mount Rushmore was perhaps in very bad taste and certainly a waste of taxpayer money.

The secretary was the one who came out literally within hours of the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota and declared they were domestic terrorists.  We covered Ms. Good here, and also Alex Pretti’s shooting, including the very graphic and disturbing video of the complete timeline of events leading to his death (featuring many submitted videos including dash cam and bystander recordings)  that appears to clearly show he was shot in the back while on the ground five times, then shot in the front once he was already deceased by another agent, also five times.  Notably, during the second shooting, his body remains still, which is why it appeared he was already dead. in this article, you can see an interview with the six year old child in Morristown New Jersey who was found wandering the street asking neighbors that she encountered for help after her father was taken by ICE, ignoring his requests to check on his daughter.  In Minnesota, the school superintendent shared with Chalkbeat her experience of the enforcement surge that occurred in her state, including disruptions to learning and parents keeping their kids at home instead of taking those risks.  We also reported on Governor Hochul’s proposed legislation to permanently prevent what happened in Minnesota from ever occurring in New York.  Coming up this week, you can find our coverage of the governor’s unplanned conversation with the newly appointed Border Czar Tom Homan.

Greg Bovino, another agent in charge of ICE at that time, had said in the hours following the shooting that Mr. Pretti had attempted to cause “maximum damage” by bringing his legally registered and authorized firearm, with additional bullets, to a protest.  But it can also be clearly seen that he never touched or drew his weapon, but rather it was taken from his waistband by an agent seconds before he was shot by a different agent.

From the Daily Mail: 

Kristi Noem’s firing as Secretary of Homeland Security sparked celebrations in the department as her staff heard she had been ousted. 

Insiders at the department’s headquarters in Washington, DC, told the Daily Mail that Noem’s abrupt firing on Thursday was met with glee from her former employees. 

‘Crowds are celebrating. Lots of phone calls. Texts. People stopping by to celebrate,’ an official with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said. 

A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) staff source also said that staff at the HQ are cheering the news, describing the mood as ‘happy’ with ‘lots of smiles.’

‘Morale had taken a hit,’ the insider said. ‘There’s a feeling among a lot of folks here that the department can finally reset and refocus on operations instead of internal turmoil.’

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Several local politicians also weighed in on this firing and chances at the agency: 

Senator Gillibrand released the following statement: 

GILLIBRAND STATEMENT ON NOEM FIRING

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, released the following statement after President Trump announced the firing of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem:

“It is unconscionable that Kristi Noem was nominated, let alone that she lasted this long. From the moment Kristi Noem was nominated, I made clear she was unfit and unqualified for the job.

“She has been a total and complete failure. Under her failed leadership, DHS has threatened public safety, wasted countless taxpayer dollars, and lied to the American people, and two Americans were tragically murdered. Her actions betrayed the public’s trust and made families across our nation feel less secure.

“Changing leadership without structural reform only means more of the same – an agency without accountability, without discipline, and without regard for the safety of the American people. DHS needs more than just new leadership; it needs fundamental reforms to truly protect public safety and restore public trust.”

Senator Schumer said:  “Good riddance.  The problems at DHS go much deeper than any one person. The President must rein in ICE and end the violence.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul said, “The president should listen to me more often,”  which was in reference to her calls for an impeachment of Sec. Noem beginning in late January after the two tragic deaths and Noem’s rush to judgement. 

Statement From Representative Espaillat: “Noem’s Removal Is Long Overdue”

Washington, D.C. — Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), released the following statement on the firing of Kristi Noem.

“Kristi Noem demonstrated from the very beginning that she was not up to the responsibility of leading the Department of Homeland Security. For more than a month, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus has called for her removal, raising serious concerns about her leadership, the erosion of due process, and a pattern of abuses carried out under her watch.

“That it took President Trump more than a year to reach this conclusion is itself an indictment of the administration’s judgment and priorities. The American people and members of Congress were sounding the alarm long before the White House chose to act.

“The president’s reported plan to replace Secretary Noem with Senator Markwayne Mullin also raises serious questions about the direction and seriousness of leadership at the Department of Homeland Security. The American people deserve steady, responsible leadership at an agency tasked with protecting our nation while upholding the Constitution and the rule of law.

“Still, today’s development is an important step forward. The removal of Secretary Noem is a direct result of sustained oversight, public accountability, and the voices of Americans across the country who refused to stay silent in the face of corruption, cruelty, and incompetence.

“This is a victory for those who worked tirelessly to expose these failures. But most of all, it is a victory for the American people, who made clear that enough was enough and that no public official is above accountability.”