Trump says Kristi Noem is staying, but someone else in his inner circle is taking the fall for Minneapolis

President Trump has decided that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem will keep her job despite heavy pressure from both political parties to remove her. This comes after the deadly shootings in Minneapolis caused major controversy. The president is standing by her, but he is making big changes to how her department handles the crisis.

According to The New York Post, when reporters asked if Secretary Noem would resign, President Trump gave a simple answer: “No.” He told reporters, “She’s doing a very good job. The border is totally secure.” However, while Noem stays in her position, the president made it clear that the administration needs new leadership after federal agents shot and killed two US citizens, 37-year-old Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

The problems started after the tragic events in Minneapolis, where anti-ICE protesters clashed with federal agents multiple times. President Trump was very focused on how the situation looked to the public, especially after Pretti, a VA nurse, was killed. While Washington D.C. got seven inches of snow on Sunday, the president was inside the White House watching different video angles of the shooting and questioning Noem’s description of the situation, which she called “domestic terrorism.”

Trump removes Border Patrol commander while keeping Noem in power

Trump decided a change in approach was needed, telling reporters, “We’re going to de-escalate a little bit,” about the deportation operation. This meant removing Noem’s Border Patrol commander, Gregory Bovino, from the state. The president said Bovino is “very good,” but admitted his tactics “may not have been good here.”

Fighting to save her job, Noem asked for a meeting with the president on Monday evening at the Oval Office. She brought her top adviser, Corey Lewandowski, with her. The almost two-hour meeting also included White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, press secretary Karoline Leavitt, and communications director Steven Cheung.

Stephen Miller, who is the main person in charge of immigration policy for the administration, was not at this important meeting. Noem is also expected to face the Senate soon to address the growing concerns. The internal fighting is serious, and it appears to be a typical Washington blame game.

Noem reportedly blamed Miller for the department’s first response after Pretti’s death, claiming it was Miller’s idea to call Pretti an “assassin.” She told someone who shared her comments, “Everything I’ve done, I’ve done at the direction of the president and Stephen.”

Miller fought back, saying he got his information directly from border patrol officers on the ground in Minnesota. He said the first DHS statement was based on reports from CBP and that the White House had given clear instructions for extra personnel to conduct fugitive operations.

Despite this clear attempt to shift blame, the president made it clear that Miller, who usually controls immigration policy discussions even though Noem technically ranks higher than him, is staying in his role. In fact, Trump took Miller with him on his trip to Iowa on Tuesday, showing his role as a key policy leader. The DHS response to impeachment threats has also highlighted the political tensions surrounding this situation.

The result is that the former South Dakota governor is keeping her job, but she is no longer the public face of this high-profile deportation assignment. She will now focus on other parts of her department, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency and securing the border.