The Five Ways ‘ice Barbie’ Kristi Noem Spelled Her Own Doom As Trump’s Chaotic Dhs Secretary

After Kristi Noem’s Senate proceeding this week, President Donald Trump called up Republican Sen. John Kennedy successful a rage.

“He was huffy arsenic a execution hornet,” nan Louisiana legislator told The Independent and different reporters Thursday. “I retrieve reasoning that nan secretary’s beautiful overmuch arsenic dormant arsenic fried chicken,” he told another gaggle of reporters.

The outgoing Homeland Security Secretary was already hanging by a thread, but nan last nail successful nan coffin came this week during combative legislature testimony, wherever nan Louisiana legislator played a starring role.

During 2 days of blistering disapproval from some Democrats and Republicans, Noem said Trump had signed disconnected connected a multimillion-dollar advertisement run (a declare that reportedly “incensed” nan president and prompted him to contradict it publicly), rebuffed attempts to straight reside allegations of an improper narration pinch her apical adviser, and refused to apologize for falsely labeling 2 American citizens slain by national agents operating nether nan DHS umbrella arsenic home terrorists.

Noem made history Thursday arsenic nan first Cabinet caput ousted successful Trump's 2nd term, but galore were near unsurprised; nan penning had been connected nan wall for months.

“Replacing Kristi was based connected nan culmination of her many unfortunate activity failures including nan fallout successful Minnesota, nan advertisement campaign, nan allegations of infidelity, nan mismanagement of her staff, and her changeless feuding pinch nan heads of different agencies, including CBP and ICE,” a Trump management charismatic told The Atlantic.

Noem will go “special envoy” for a little-known information inaugural called “The Shield of nan Americas,” while Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin has been tapped to switch her.

It has been rather nan autumn from grace for Noem, who astatine 1 constituent was being considered by Trump arsenic his moving mate successful nan 2024 statesmanlike election, according to The Atlantic. Her sanction was crossed disconnected nan database of contenders complete her admittance successful a memoir that she changeable her ain puppy.

Trump really viewed nan outrageous enactment arsenic “an asset” and it was 1 of nan reasons he tapped Noem to caput up Homeland Security instead, according to an excerpt of an upcoming book about nan meltdown astatine nan section nether her tenure.

She was chastised complete nan canine sidesplitting successful nan legislature hearings this week, which yet proved to beryllium “water boiling complete nan separator of nan pot” for Trump, arsenic 1 Republican legislator put it to NBC News.

Here The Independent looks backmost astatine Noem’s chaotic 13-month tenure arsenic nan Department of Homeland Security chief.

Minnesota crackdown and branding slain US citizens ‘domestic terrorists’

Minneapolis became nan focal constituent of Trump’s migration crackdown precocious past twelvemonth aft Homeland Security deployed thousands of national agents to nan Minnesota city. In January, those operations turned deadly erstwhile agents fatally changeable 2 U.S. citizens: mother of 3 Renee Good connected Jan. 7 and Alex Pretti, an intensive attraction nurse, connected Jan. 24.

Trump-aligned Kennedy joined Democrats Tuesday successful trying to get Noem to reply why she would baselessly impeach Good and Pretti of home terrorism aft her officers changeable them astatine point-blank range.

Noem refused to backmost down and apologize for falsely labeling nan American citizens arsenic home terrorists, a move which saw her sidelined astatine nan clip by Trump. He sent his separator czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to “clean up nan mess,” The Atlantic reported.

“The truth you can’t admit to a correction — which looks like, nether investigation, is going to beryllium that Ms. Good and Mr. Pretti astir apt should not person been changeable successful nan look and successful nan back,” Republican Sen. Thom Tillis besides chimed in.

There was nary emotion mislaid betwixt Noem and Democratic leaders successful Minnesota pursuing her ouster, pinch Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey declaring, “Good riddance.”

More broadly, Noem’s handling of Trump’s migration crackdown has drawn important scrutiny.

Under her leadership, nan proportionality of ICE detainees without criminal convictions has skyrocketed, contradicting nan administration’s promise to target nan “worst of nan worst.” Upwards of 170 American citizens person been taken into custody, and much than 200 Venezuelan migrants were deported to El Salvador's sadistic CECOT prison.

Critics person besides accused ICE agents of exhibiting reckless behavior, relying on group discrimination and receiving minimal training — allegations nan agency has rebuffed.

In February, arsenic disapproval intensified, DHS's independent watchdog said it launched aggregate probes into ICE operations, including hiring practices, expedited removals, use-of-force and detention conditions.

During a legislature proceeding this week, Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, cited nan investigations arsenic impervious of Noem's activity failures, comparing her missteps to her shocking anecdote about sidesplitting her ain puppy.

Rumored matter pinch apical advisor Lewandowski

For months, Noem has been dogged by allegations that she has maintained an inappropriate narration with Corey Lewandowski, her apical advisor and a longtime Trump state who worked arsenic a typical authorities worker astatine Homeland Security.

Lewandowski initially wanted to service arsenic Noem’s main of staff, but it was struck down by Trump retired of interest complete rumors of a romanticist narration between nan pair, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Both are joined to different people, but according to reports nan alleged matter was nan “worst-kept concealed successful D.C,” according to New York Magazine. They person some denied nan rumors, but Noem refused to straight reply questions astir nan alleged romance during a House Judiciary Committee proceeding this week.

Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, a California Democrat, asked Noem constituent blank if she ever had a “sexual” narration pinch Lewandowski.

Noem, whose hubby awkwardly sat down her during nan hearing, leaving conscionable earlier that statement of questioning, refused to reply directly.

“I americium shocked we’re peddling tabloid garbage successful this committee,” she said.

Noem continued to fend disconnected nan questions astir Lewandowski, and accused Democrats of attacking blimpish women.

“You opportunity that we're either stupid aliases we're sluts. That's what you do,” she replied to Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz of Florida.

“And I will show you sir, I will show you sir, I americium neither of those.”

Scrutiny complete spending connected DHS advertisement run contracts

Trump said he “wasn’t thrilled” pinch Noem’s determination to splurge $220 cardinal connected a DHS advertizing campaign past February, which utilized nationalist costs and featured video of her riding connected horseback successful beforehand of Mount Rushmore. “Break our laws, we’ll punish you,” Noem says successful nan ad.

“I wasn’t thrilled pinch it. I spent little money than that to go president. I didn’t cognize astir it,” Trump told NBC News conscionable hours aft firing Noem.

It was Noem’s declare that Trump signed disconnected connected nan run that near him “incensed.”

During Senate grounds this week, she told Kennedy that Trump knew astir her determination to o.k. nan advertisement run contracts.

“The president approved up of clip you spending $220 cardinal moving TV ads crossed nan country?” Kennedy asked Noem astatine nan hearing.

“Yes, sir,” Noem replied. “We went done nan ineligible processes, did it correctly.”

When pressed again whether nan president knew Noem was going ahead, she replied, “Yes.”

Shortly earlier announcing Noem was getting nan ax, nan president told Reuters that he “never knew ⁠anything astir it.”

Much of nan money for nan run was paid to a institution connected to Noem’s ain spokesperson, though Noem has said she was not progressive successful picking contractors.

And successful October, Noem raised eyebrows erstwhile nan DHS purchased a brace of luxury jets worthy astir $172 million. Months later, nan section made plans to buy a 3rd plane for astir $70 cardinal that would beryllium utilized for deportations and recreation for Cabinet officials, a move that horrified apical management officials, according to Axios.

“What benignant of deportee justifies being flown retired of nan state successful a luxury pitchy pinch a chamber and accommodations for illustration this?” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Rhode Island Democrat, asked Noem this week. She responded that, by purchasing nan aircraft, she was successful truth redeeming American taxpayers’ money.

“You’re treating nan billions of dollars our GOP colleagues gave your section for illustration a individual slush fund,” added Rep. Jamie Raskin, nan apical Democrat connected nan House Judiciary Committee, told Noem connected Wednesday.

Focus connected burnishing nationalist image and dubbed ‘Cosplay Kristi’

The recently ousted caput besides has gained a estimation for self-promotion, often appearing connected tv and astatine property events successful eye-catching attire, including tactical cogwheel and cowboy hats, starring critics to dub her nan “ICE Barbie” and “Cosplay Kristi.”

While successful office, she intimately kept way of really her “national floor plan compared pinch different management officials” and “routinely berated unit if she saw Homan connected TV,” according to The Wall Street Journal. A DHS spokesperson refuted this claim.

During 1 notable photo-op successful March, Noem wore a golden Rolex watch while visiting El Salvador’s CECOT prison. She posed successful beforehand of prisoners, who stood stone-faced while she recorded a video for societal media.

Gutting FEMA

On apical of everything else, Noem implemented strict oversight of operations astatine nan FEMA, creating bottlenecks successful assistance distribution.

In June, she mandated that each agency spending supra $100,000 person her individual support to curb “waste, fraud, and abuse,” according to The New York Times. The directive, however, caused delays successful distributing much than $15 billion successful disaster alleviation costs to states reeling from earthy disasters.

The Washington Post besides reported successful January that Noem planned to slash nan number of FEMA disaster responders by half successful 2026. An agency spokesperson said it is not implementing a “percentage-based workforce reduction.”