Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had quite the day testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee taking well-deserved fire from both Republicans and Democrats.
Noem was called out on various topics from spending $220 million on promotional videos featuring herself to the deadly shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis to a $143 million DHS contract handed to a company owned by the husband of a former assistant.
Via Politico:
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) threatened Tuesday to use aggressive procedural measures to bring Senate work to a standstill if Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem fails to respond to his offices’ inquiries about an immigration crackdown in Charlotte, North Carolina.
An irate Tillis, who is retiring this year from the Senate, ripped into Noem during her testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, saying that he would use his power as a senator to hold nominations and prevent bills from getting to the Senate floor.
The announcement from Tillis, who has called repeatedly for Noem to leave her post, would represent a rare escalation from any senator — in particular one from the president’s party — in the face of frustrations with a member of the Cabinet.
Such a move, if he follows through with his threat, would hijack much of the Senate’s standard operating procedure.
The clip of Tillis is below along with several other clashes Noem had with various senators.
after absolutely eviscerating Kristi Noem and calling for her resignation, Tillis is applauded. He thens threatens to hold up nominees if she doesn’t stop stonewalling him. My God. pic.twitter.com/k2EFbmtoik
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 3, 2026
Tillis to Noem: “A 14 month old dog is basically a teenager in dog years. You decided to kill that dog because you hadn’t invested the appropriate time and training, and then you have the audacity to go into a book and say it’s a leadership lesson about tough choices! … Those… pic.twitter.com/NxqajEZdQl
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 3, 2026
WELCH: Mr. Yoho is also the husband of your former spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin?
NOEM: Yes
WELCH: So your former assistant and her husband are the ones that got the DHS no bid contract for $143m. Any dispute about that?
NOEM: No. pic.twitter.com/5YSQBoFfVX
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 3, 2026
BLUMENTHAL: Is the agent who shot Ms Martinez sill on the job?
NOEM: Our law enforcement officers conduct operations every day–
BLUMENTHAL: Is he still on the job carrying a gun?
NOEM: I don’t know the details
BLUMENTHAL: Would you agree he shouldn’t be?
NOEM: I’ll get back… pic.twitter.com/uN61xNf9UB
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 3, 2026
BLUMENTHAL: The agent who shot her said, ‘I fired 5 rounds and she had 7 holes. Put that in your book, boys. I’m up for another around of F around and find out.’ Will you join me in condemning that agent?
KRISTI NOEM: That situation, I don’t know the details, but I will look… pic.twitter.com/LIEjsFj6to
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 3, 2026
KENNEDY: How do square your concern with waste with the fact you spent $220 million running TV ads that feature you prominently?
NOEM: The president tasked me with getting the message out to the country and other countries where we were seeing the invasion come from
KENNEDY:… pic.twitter.com/73mp3PpglW
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 3, 2026
COONS: Does DHS operate with arrest quotas?
NOEM: No we do not. We do targeted enforcement
COONS: I would prefer if you did, but just last year Stephen Miller went on Fox News and said, ‘We’re setting a minimum of 3,000 arrests for ICE every day’
NOEM: There is no quotas… pic.twitter.com/Y10LLbh4QR
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 3, 2026
KENNEDY: How do square your concern with waste with the fact you spent $220 million running TV ads that feature you prominently?
NOEM: The president tasked me with getting the message out to the country and other countries where we were seeing the invasion come from
KENNEDY:… pic.twitter.com/73mp3PpglW
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 3, 2026
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