President Donald Trump has firmly backed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, stating he will not request her resignation despite mounting pressure following a deadly shooting incident in Minnesota. The president's support comes amid intense scrutiny over an aggressive immigration enforcement operation that resulted in the deaths of two American citizens at the hands of federal agents.
Trump's Unwavering Support for Embattled Homeland Security Chief
Speaking to reporters before departing the White House for an economic address in Iowa, Trump was directly questioned about whether he would urge Noem to step down. The inquiry followed two fatal shootings within a month, including the recent killing of Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent. The president's response was unequivocal: "No."
When pressed further about his confidence in Noem's leadership capabilities across the vast Homeland Security bureaucracy—which encompasses agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Secret Service, and numerous immigration bodies—Trump asserted she is "doing a very good job". He justified this stance by claiming the U.S.-Mexico border is "totally secure" under her oversight.
Oval Office Meeting Precedes Public Defence
Trump's public defence of the embattled secretary occurred just one day after Noem, accompanied by her de facto chief of staff and political adviser Corey Lewandowski, met with the president in the Oval Office. This multi-hour meeting was requested by Noem herself after Trump publicly undermined her supervision of the administration's crackdown in Minneapolis.
The president had dispatched White House Border Czar Tom Homan—a veteran immigration and law enforcement official who previously led ICE during Trump's first term—to Minnesota. This move effectively bypassed Noem's authority over "Operation Metro Surge," the controversial immigration enforcement initiative.
Controversial Operation and False Statements
The operation had been managed by Greg Bovino, a pugnacious Border Patrol official from California whom Noem had elevated with the unofficial title of "Commander-at-Large". Bovino and his agents were given considerable latitude to conduct aggressive roving patrols and forcefully suppress any resulting protests.
However, both Noem and Bovino attracted the president's displeasure after they were caught making blatantly false statements about Pretti's intentions following the shooting. Border Patrol agents fired at least nine shots into Pretti's back after confiscating a pistol he was legally carrying under Minnesota law.
At a press conference held at FEMA headquarters after the incident, Noem incorrectly claimed the shooting resulted from "a situation where an individual arrived at the scene to inflict maximum damage on individuals and kill law enforcement". This assertion contradicted evidence showing Pretti never drew his weapon and did not confront agents before being tackled while attempting to assist a woman pushed by a CBP agent.
Noem also falsely accused Pretti of having "reacted violently" when agents tried to disarm him—a claim directly contradicted by video footage of the shooting. Similarly, Bovino inaccurately told reporters it "look[ed] like" Pretti "wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement."
The Border Patrol agent involved has been relieved of duties in Minneapolis and is reportedly being returned to his position in California. The incident continues to generate significant political and public controversy as investigations proceed.
