Calls for Kristi Noem’s Resignation Following Controversial Shooting
On Tuesday, Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski and Thom Tillis publicly urged Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign. This came in the wake of the January 24 incident where Border Patrol agents killed Alex Preti, marking the first time Republican lawmakers have called for the resignation of a Cabinet member over a specific event.
Tillis, representing North Carolina, expressed his discontent, stating, “What she did in Minnesota should disqualify her. It’s an amateurish idea, really. It paints a negative picture of the policies the president campaigned on.”
He further emphasized, “He won with a strong immigration message, and right now, that’s not the focus. The conversation has shifted to the failings in Homeland Security instead of border security.”
Murkowski, from Alaska, initially hesitated, saying, “Maybe, she should resign.” However, later, she took a firmer stance, telling NBC News, “Yes, she should resign.”
At 68 and 65 respectively, Murkowski and Tillis had previously supported Noem’s confirmation for her position on January 25 of last year. Their distance from the White House’s stance might not have major immediate repercussions; Tillis has announced he won’t run for a third Senate term this year, while Murkowski’s next run isn’t planned until 2028.
Meanwhile, President Trump dismissed calls from Congressional Democrats to dismiss Noem, defending her role in the aftermath of Preti’s death. Preti, an ICU nurse, had been protesting against immigration enforcement in Minneapolis at the time of the incident.
“I think she’s doing a very good job. The border is completely secure,” Trump stated, dismissing any suggestions that sending Border Secretary Tom Homan to Minnesota indicated a lack of confidence in Noem’s performance.
Trump remarked, “I shake up my team all the time. I don’t see this as a setback; it’s just a change.”
As Homan traveled north into the harsh cold on Monday night, Noem, a former governor of South Dakota, discussed matters with Trump and her key advisor, Corey Lewandowski, for nearly two hours in the Oval Office.
When pressed on whether Noem would step down, Trump simply replied, “No.”
