Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem traveled to Israel on Sunday at the direction of President Donald Trump, marking a high-profile visit that comes days after the fatal shooting of two Israeli Embassy staff members in Washington, D.C.
Secretary Noem arrived in Israel over Memorial Day weekend and was welcomed by Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz upon her arrival.
She immediately offered prayers for the slain embassy staffers, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, who were killed Wednesday night outside the Capitol Jewish Museum in Washington.
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During her stop at the Western Wall, Noem wrote in the site’s visitors’ book: “Israel is the chosen people, and the United States stands by you.”
Following the horrific terrorist attack in Washington DC killing two Israeli diplomats, @POTUS Trump asked me to visit Israel and meet with Prime Minister @netanyahu.
Hate will not have the last word. pic.twitter.com/Le83Zo3Sqp
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) May 26, 2025
“Israel & God’s chosen people —
We stand with you”Kristi Noem
United States Dept of Homeland Security05-25-25 pic.twitter.com/iHsGeor9ai
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) May 25, 2025
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Later that evening, Noem met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. According to an official statement from Netanyahu’s office, the two discussed ongoing security matters, including the war in Gaza and Israel’s border security strategy.
Homeland Security @Sec_Noem also expressed great appreciation for the Prime Minister’s policy of building a fence along the Egyptian border and for his conduct of the war. pic.twitter.com/UK1CCtx5r7
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) May 25, 2025
Secretary Noem conveyed “unwavering support for the Prime Minister and the State of Israel.”
The statement noted that Noem voiced strong approval for Israel’s southern border fence with Egypt, calling it a successful model of national security infrastructure.
The meeting also included discussions on the ongoing conflict in Gaza, with Noem showing support for Israel’s continued campaign against Hamas.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has repeatedly stated that any permanent ceasefire must be contingent on three primary demands: the return of all hostages held by Hamas, the dismantling of the terrorist group, and implementation of President Trump’s plan for U.S. oversight of post-conflict Gaza.
Secretary Noem’s trip comes in the immediate aftermath of the deaths of Lischinsky and Milgrim, both of whom were members of the Israeli diplomatic staff and were reportedly engaged to be married.
The two were gunned down outside the Capitol Jewish Museum in downtown Washington, D.C., an incident that has drawn widespread condemnation from both Israeli and American officials.
The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez, was arrested at the scene and has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and the murder of foreign officials.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, under the direction of Interim U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, is treating the case as both a hate crime and an act of terrorism.
Pirro confirmed in a statement on Thursday that the federal investigation will proceed under multiple statutes, including those related to the protection of foreign diplomats and national security. Additional charges may be filed pending further findings.
Israeli officials have expressed concern over security conditions surrounding diplomatic staff stationed abroad and have praised the swift response of U.S. law enforcement following the incident.
Noem’s visit is her first official trip to Israel as Secretary of Homeland Security.
The trip signals the Trump administration’s continued emphasis on U.S.-Israel relations and its commitment to ensuring the safety of allied diplomatic missions.
The Department of Homeland Security has not yet released a detailed itinerary of Noem’s visit, but sources familiar with the trip say she is expected to meet with Israeli security and intelligence officials to discuss bilateral cooperation on counterterrorism and cyber threats.
Additional meetings are planned in Tel Aviv before her return to the United States later this week.
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