President Donald Trump on Friday night publicly rallied behind Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, praising her performance amid nationwide protests over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tactics and arguing that criticism of her leadership is rooted in sexism rather than policy disagreement.
In a fiery post on Truth Social, Trump accused what he called “Radical Left Lunatics, Insurrectionists, Agitators, and Thugs” of targeting Noem specifically because she is a woman. “She has done a really GREAT JOB!” Trump wrote, framing the backlash as politically and personally motivated rather than substantive.
The president used the post to restate his broader claims about border security, asserting that the “border disaster” he inherited has been resolved. Trump credited Noem with helping reduce violent crime, claiming the national murder rate has reached its lowest level in 125 years, and emphasized that undocumented immigrants with criminal records are either gone or actively being pursued for removal. He ended his message with a familiar refrain: “ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES!!!”
Noem, a former South Dakota governor and congresswoman, has become one of the most visible—and polarizing—faces of the administration’s immigration agenda. Critics have mocked her as “ICE Barbie,” pointing to her frequent high-profile appearances and carefully staged photo-ops, including images of her wearing cowboy hats or tactical agency gear. One of the most controversial moments came in May, when she was photographed in front of bare-chested inmates at El Salvador’s CECOT mega-prison following the deportation of roughly 200 alleged gang members.
Trump’s vocal support comes amid signs of internal tension. During a recent cabinet meeting, Noem was notably not invited to speak, while Small Business Administration Secretary Kelly Loeffler was given the floor. Just days earlier, Trump dispatched White House border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis following the January 24 shooting of Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents. Trump announced that Homan would take over immigration enforcement operations in the city and report directly to him, fueling speculation about shifts in authority within the Department of Homeland Security.
Trump later praised Homan separately, calling him “one of a kind” and saying he was doing a “FANTASTIC JOB.” Meanwhile, reports surfaced that Greg Bovino, who had been serving as a “commander at large,” was being reassigned back to his previous post in El Centro, California.
Adding to the controversy, retiring Senator Thom Tillis has emerged as one of Noem’s most vocal Republican critics. Tillis publicly labeled Noem and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Steven Miller as “sycophants,” later likening Noem to Harry Potter villain Dolores Umbridge—an analogy that quickly gained traction online.
Noem addressed the criticism Thursday night in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, dismissing calls for her resignation as politically motivated. “These radicals are attacking me,” she said, “but I’m just doing my job.”
As immigration remains one of the most divisive issues of Trump’s presidency, Noem now stands at the center of both his praise and the political firestorm surrounding border enforcement—symbolizing the administration’s hardline approach and the deepening rifts it continues to provoke.