Trump Keeps Kristi Noem as DHS Secretary Amid Minnesota Fallout [WATCH]

President Trump has decided to keep Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in her post, rejecting bipartisan calls for her removal, while simultaneously ordering changes to how federal immigration operations are handled in Minnesota following a deadly confrontation involving federal agents, as reported by The New York Post.

Speaking Tuesday, President Trump confirmed Noem would not be stepping down, even as he acknowledged the need for adjustments after the shootings of two 37-year-old U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, during an enforcement operation in Minneapolis.

JUST IN : President Trump says Kristi Noem will remain DHS Secretary. pic.twitter.com/tHweuuTMl9

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“We’re going to de-escalate a little bit,” Trump said, referring to deportation operations in Minneapolis after the shootings.

Noem requested an Oval Office meeting on Monday evening after Trump dispatched Border Czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis to stabilize conditions following repeated clashes between anti-ICE agitators and federal agents.

The meeting, which lasted nearly two hours, included Noem, her top adviser Corey Lewandowski, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, press secretary Karoline Leavitt, and communications director Steven Cheung.

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Trump’s focus during the meeting centered on the political and public response following the death of Pretti, a 37-year-old VA nurse killed during an altercation with federal agents.

As Washington, D.C., was hit with seven inches of snow Sunday, Trump spent time inside the White House reviewing video footage of the shooting and questioning the Department of Homeland Security’s initial assessment, which labeled the incident “domestic terrorism.”

As part of the reset, Trump ordered Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino pulled from Minnesota, signaling concern that his aggressive tactics may not have been appropriate under the circumstances.

“He’s very good, but he’s a pretty out there kind of a guy,” Trump said. “And in some cases, that’s good. Maybe it wasn’t good here.”

Notably absent from Monday’s meeting was Stephen Miller, Trump’s White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and a central architect of the administration’s immigration strategy.

Noem has reportedly blamed Miller for DHS’s public stance following Pretti’s death, including referring to Pretti as an “assassin.”

“Everything I’ve done, I’ve done at the direction of the president and Stephen,” Noem told a person who later relayed the remarks to Axios.

Miller pushed back in a statement, saying DHS acted based on information provided by Border Patrol officers in Minnesota.

“The initial statement from DHS was based on reports from CBP on the ground,” Miller told The Post.

“Additionally, the White House provided clear guidance to DHS that the extra personnel that had been sent to Minnesota for force protection should be used for conducting fugitive operations to create a physical barrier between the arrest teams and the disruptors.”

While the White House distanced itself from DHS’s rhetoric, Trump made clear Miller’s position was secure, taking him along on Tuesday’s trip to Iowa.

The outcome leaves Noem in office but removes her as the public face of the high-profile deportation effort. She will instead focus on other DHS responsibilities, including FEMA operations and border security.

Asked directly whether Noem would resign, Trump responded with a single word: “No.”

“She’s doing a very good job. The border is totally secure,” he said.

BREAKING President Trump just gave a HUGE shoutout to Kristi Noem for doing a great job:

“Kristi is doing a GREAT job. She’s fantastic. We’ve stopped the illegal border crossings”

KEEP GOING

pic.twitter.com/TkG1cudB07

— MAGA Voice (@MAGAVoice) January 27, 2026

Political pressure, however, continues to mount. Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said, “I think she should go. What she’s done in Minnesota should be disqualifying. She should be out of a job. It’s just amateurish.”

Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska added, “I think it’s probably time for her to step down.”

Democrats are pushing for impeachment, with more than half of House Democrats backing a resolution led by Rep. Robin Kelly of Illinois. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania also called for Noem’s removal.

“Americans have died. She is betraying DHS’s core mission and trashing your border security legacy,” Fetterman said.

Trump expressed confidence in Homan’s ability to work with local leaders, including Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, both of whom have opposed the administration’s deportation push.

“He’s gotten along with governors, and he gets along with mayors,” Trump said. “Some people just want to do their job and leave me alone.”

Homan spent Tuesday on the ground in Minneapolis as Trump emphasized the situation would remain under close review.

“I want a very honorable and honest investigation,” the president said.

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