President Donald Trump has issued a forceful defense of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, pushing back against mounting political outrage over her department’s handling of a deadly immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota that has ignited protests, investigations, and calls for her removal.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House on Tuesday, Trump dismissed criticism of Noem’s leadership and made clear he has no intention of firing her, despite growing pressure from both Democrats and some Republicans.
“I think she’s doing a very good job,” the president said. “The border is totally secure. We inherited a border where millions of people were coming through. Now we have a border where no one is coming through.”
Trump’s remarks marked a notable shift in tone after a tense internal reckoning earlier this week, when the president privately rebuked Noem and temporarily sidelined her from overseeing interior immigration enforcement operations following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old Veterans Affairs nurse, during a federal operation in Minneapolis.
Pretti was killed Saturday by a Border Patrol agent amid a targeted immigration enforcement action. The shooting, which remains under investigation, immediately sparked demonstrations across the Twin Cities and renewed scrutiny of federal tactics under the Department of Homeland Security.
According to multiple reports, Trump was particularly angered by Noem’s decision to describe Pretti as a “domestic terrorist” during a press conference shortly after the incident. The characterization clashed with the White House’s preferred messaging and inflamed tensions with local officials, civil rights groups, and congressional Democrats.
The fallout prompted a late-night Oval Office meeting on Sunday, where Noem was summoned to account for her response. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles attended the meeting, underscoring the seriousness of the internal review. Sources familiar with the discussion said Trump pressed Noem repeatedly on why she used the term “domestic terrorist” before investigators had completed their work.
By Monday, the administration made a visible adjustment: Tom Homan, the White House’s border czar and a longtime rival of Noem within immigration enforcement circles, was dispatched to Minnesota to take operational control of the deteriorating situation. The move was widely interpreted as a sign of Trump’s frustration, even as the president stopped short of publicly reprimanding Noem.
At the same time, Noem was reassigned to focus primarily on securing the southern border, removing her from day-to-day oversight of interior immigration enforcement efforts for the moment. Administration officials described the shift as a strategic realignment rather than a demotion, though critics were quick to label it a vote of no confidence.
Despite the internal reshuffling, Trump’s comments Tuesday signaled that Noem’s position in the Cabinet remains secure — at least for now.
“She’s doing what she was hired to do,” Trump said, again emphasizing border security metrics. “We’re not going back to chaos.”
The president’s defense comes as Noem faces intensifying political pressure on multiple fronts. House Democrats have launched a formal investigation into her leadership, while more than 140 Democratic lawmakers have signed on to an impeachment resolution accusing her of self-dealing, obstructing congressional oversight, and violating public trust.
The impeachment measure, while unlikely to advance in the Republican-controlled House, reflects the depth of Democratic anger over the Minnesota shootings and broader concerns about the administration’s immigration enforcement strategy.
Even some Republicans have expressed unease. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a vocal supporter of aggressive border policies, has privately raised concerns about whether the Minnesota operation was properly coordinated. Kentucky Representative James Comer has also suggested that Congress must take a closer look at DHS decision-making.
Senator Rand Paul has gone further, calling senior immigration officials to testify at a February 12 hearing. Those invited include Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow, and Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons. The hearing is expected to examine the use of force, command authority, and inter-agency coordination during recent enforcement actions.
Noem herself is scheduled to testify before the Senate on March 3 as part of routine oversight, though the session is now expected to be contentious.
The controversy extends beyond the Pretti shooting. Public confidence in Noem has been shaken further by the January 7 death of Renee Good, an anti-ICE protester who was shot by a federal agent during a separate enforcement operation. Authorities say Good drove her SUV toward an officer, striking him and causing internal injuries, but video footage and witness accounts have fueled debate over whether lethal force was justified.
Together, the two deaths have intensified protests across Minnesota, with demonstrators gathering outside hotels believed to house ICE officers and clashing with federal agents. In several instances, law enforcement deployed tear gas and crowd-control measures to disperse crowds, images that have circulated widely on social media and cable news.
The political impact of the crisis is beginning to show up in polling. According to the latest Daily Mail/JL Partners survey, Noem’s approval rating has fallen to 33 percent, down from 37 percent last month. Her disapproval rating has climbed to 41 percent, up from 37 percent in December.
Nearly half of respondents — 46 percent — said they believe Noem should be impeached, while another 42 percent said Trump should fire her outright. The poll was conducted January 26 among more than 1,000 registered voters and carries a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.
Those numbers reflect a dramatic reversal for Noem, who until recently was viewed as one of Trump’s most politically durable Cabinet officials and a potential future national contender.
Still, Trump appears determined to stand by her, framing the controversy as a broader political attack on his immigration agenda rather than a referendum on Noem personally.
Senior aides say the president believes backing down would embolden critics and weaken his hard-line stance ahead of the 2026 midterms. At the same time, they acknowledge privately that the Minnesota situation has exposed vulnerabilities in how immigration enforcement is being communicated — and possibly executed.
For now, the administration is attempting to thread a narrow needle: maintaining an aggressive posture on immigration while containing political fallout from deadly encounters that have galvanized opposition.
Whether Noem can weather the storm remains an open question. While Trump’s public support offers her temporary protection, the combination of congressional scrutiny, internal power shifts, and declining public approval suggests the crisis is far from over.
As investigations unfold and hearings loom, the Minnesota shootings are poised to become a defining test not only of Noem’s tenure, but of the administration’s broader approach to immigration enforcement — and how much political cost the White House is willing to absorb to defend it.
Emily Johnson is a critically acclaimed essayist and novelist known for her thought-provoking works centered on feminism, women’s rights, and modern relationships. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, Emily grew up with a deep love of books, often spending her afternoons at her local library. She went on to study literature and gender studies at UCLA, where she became deeply involved in activism and began publishing essays in campus journals. Her debut essay collection, Voices Unbound, struck a chord with readers nationwide for its fearless exploration of gender dynamics, identity, and the challenges faced by women in contemporary society. Emily later transitioned into fiction, writing novels that balance compelling storytelling with social commentary. Her protagonists are often strong, multidimensional women navigating love, ambition, and the struggles of everyday life, making her a favorite among readers who crave authentic, relatable narratives. Critics praise her ability to merge personal intimacy with universal themes. Off the page, Emily is an advocate for women in publishing, leading workshops that encourage young female writers to embrace their voices. She lives in Seattle with her partner and two rescue cats, where she continues to write, teach, and inspire a new generation of storytellers.
