‘Domestic terrorists’: Kristi Noem finally agrees to face the Senate, but her ‘desperate’ bid to save her job could be ruined by this fatal mistake

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has finally agreed to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee after months of back-and-forth negotiations. The pressure on her has been building up, especially after a series of controversial and tragic events involving federal agents.

According to The Daily Beast, Noem is expected to testify on March 3, where senators will question her. This comes after intense scrutiny following the death of ICU nurse Alex Pretti, who was shot and killed by a masked federal agent in Minneapolis on a Saturday. Another person, Renee Good, was also killed by an ICE agent in the same area on January 7.

The Secretary made a major political mistake when she called both Pretti and Good “domestic terrorists” after their deaths, without providing any proof. Calling citizens terrorists without evidence after they’ve been killed by federal agents looks terrible and makes people demand answers. Noem defended her claims about Pretti, saying the nurse “had a weapon on him, and multiple, dozens of, rounds of ammunition; wishing to inflict harm on these officers, coming, brandishing like that.”

Noem’s reluctance to testify raises serious questions about her leadership

Republicans, led by Senate Chair Chuck Grassley, have been trying for months to get Noem to appear before the Judiciary Committee. While the hearing is meant to oversee federal law enforcement, the recent Minneapolis deaths will likely be the main focus. When reporters pressed her about the incident, she refused to answer directly.

Grassley’s staff confirmed they’ve been working to schedule a date for months, but Noem was being difficult. She first wanted to limit her testimony to just five minutes per senator. Grassley rejected this idea, pointing out that other top officials like Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel agreed to 10 minutes each. Noem will now testify on March 3, with each senator getting 10 minutes to ask questions.

This drama has fueled rumors that Noem’s job might be at risk. Senator Dick Durbin, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, strongly hinted at her unstable position. Durbin said Noem “refused to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee last year” and is only available in five weeks, adding “should she still be DHS Secretary at that time.”

The situation became so serious that President Trump had to get involved personally. His senior team reportedly blamed Noem for the public backlash, especially after a second U.S. citizen was killed this month. President Trump then sent his border czar, Tom Homan, to Minneapolis to help manage protests around ICE raids. This move suggested the White House was taking direct control of the crisis.

One of Noem’s top officials, Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino, was removed from his role overseeing ICE in Minneapolis and sent back to El Centro, California. Federal sources inside immigration enforcement are clearly frustrated. Several senior officials expressed disappointment, with one source saying DHS’s response to the tragedy is “making the situation worse.” 

Minnesota’s governor also criticized Noem after she interfered with the state’s investigation. Another source said “we are losing this war, we are losing the base and the narrative.” Noem will have a lot to answer for when she testifies in March.