President Donald Trump is resisting pressure from aides and lawmakers to remove Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem from her Cabinet position, according to various reports about dissatisfaction within the White House regarding her performance and messaging.
According to The Daily Beast reporting, White House officials say that they have “always” wanted Noem fired, but Trump continues to support her leadership at DHS, where she is responsible for immigration enforcement and homeland security operations.
The reports reveal significant frustration among some senior aides over Noem’s approach to policy and public communication. This is particularly true following controversial actions from Homeland Security and various public relations missteps. Critics in the administration have questioned her management style, viewing her focus on theatrics as a distraction from effective governance.
Noem is known to cosplay in numerous outfits, including dressing up as a firefighter, an ICE agent, and a cowgirl. Florida Rep. Jared Moskowitz once called her out for her ‘ridiculous’ massive hat in a press conference after the shooting of Renee Good.
Trump’s choice to keep Noem comes amid ongoing tensions concerning immigration enforcement and the overall direction of his second-term agenda. Lawmakers from both parties have called for changes in leadership at DHS after several high-profile incidents involving federal agents and immigration operations, yet Trump has consistently indicated his support for Noem.
In recent weeks, pressure on Noem has increased from multiple sources. Some conservative allies have raised concerns about how she manages operational priorities within the agency, while outside critics have pointed to fatal shootings and controversial actions by federal agents under DHS authority.
James Talarico: “ICE shot a mom in the face. ICE kidnapped a 5-year-old boy. ICE executed Alex Pretti in the street in broad daylight. This agency is out of control. We have to impeach Kristi Noem. We’ve got to haul these masked men before Congress so the world can see their… pic.twitter.com/IrTTpJ0Nz0
— Marco Foster (@MarcoFoster_) February 18, 2026
Despite the tense environment, Trump has made few changes to his Cabinet, unlike his first term. Sources familiar with internal discussions say Trump sees Noem as loyal and in line with his policy goals, making him hesitant to replace her even as aides express concerns about her public image and effectiveness.
One person familiar with the talks stated that Trump told a top aide he “loves” Noem’s work and had no immediate plans to replace her, as noted in a report from earlier this year.
Noem, who previously served as governor of South Dakota, was confirmed as DHS secretary shortly after Trump’s inauguration for his second term. In this role, she has led an increase in interior immigration enforcement and supervised CBP and ICE operations.
Her time in office has been marked by many controversies. This includes the smearing of immigrants as criminals, court order violations, and the DHS social media activity. Reports have connected key aides to questionable actions, including issues with airline crew dismissals and internal personnel decisions that received scrutiny due to what critics labeled unorthodox management practices.
Noem’s public relations strategies have also faced internal criticism. Some officials within DHS and the White House privately noted her focus on media appearances and image-building, arguing that this focus has taken attention away from significant policy implementation.
At the same time, DHS has dealt with operational challenges related to staffing pressures from an aggressive hiring push and concerns over background vetting for new recruits.
Trump’s ongoing support for Noem highlights a pattern in his current administration of keeping senior officials who align closely with his priorities, even amid internal disagreements and public calls for change.
