President Donald Trump has launched a late-night defense of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in response to growing criticism and calls for her removal following two fatal law enforcement shootings in Minneapolis. Trump took to Truth Social, his social media platform, in a nearly 10:00 p.m. post to defend Noem against attacks from political opponents.
Accusing the “Radical Left Lunatics, Insurrectionists, Agitators, and Thugs” of targeting Noem because of her gender, Trump praised her leadership at the Department of Homeland Security. Noem, who is 54 years old, has come under fire following the killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis on January 24, as well as the fatal ICE shooting of Minneapolis mother Renee Good on January 7.
Tensions within the administration became apparent when Noem was notably excluded from a recent Cabinet meeting, and Trump appointed border czar Tom Homan to oversee Minneapolis operations. In his post, Trump linked Noem’s leadership to improvements in border security and public safety, touting claims of a significant decrease in violent crime nationwide.
Despite the administration’s assertions that the drop in violent crime is a direct result of Trump’s policies, crime experts have noted that national crime rates were already declining before his presidency. Trump also accused Democrats of using protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement as a political distraction, targeting Minnesota officials like Gov. Tim Walz, Rep. Ilhan Omar, and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.
The president’s post marked a strong defense of Noem amid mounting political pressure over DHS operations in Minneapolis. It remains to be seen how this late-night defense will impact the ongoing controversy surrounding Noem’s leadership at the Department of Homeland Security.
