Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman has publicly asked President Donald Trump to fire Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The Pennsylvania Democrat made the demand on Tuesday, pointing to Noem’s handling of the recent shooting death of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
It is a sharp move from Fetterman, who has surprised people in his own party by sometimes agreeing with Trump on border issues.
He went directly to X to send his message and tagged the President, writing that Noem is “betraying DHS’s core mission and trashing your border security legacy.” He blasted Noem, calling the secretary “grossly incompetent.”
RELATED: Is Noem In Trouble? New White House Moves Suggest Power Shift After Minnesota Shooting
The call for Noem’s removal follows a statement Fetterman released on Monday. In it, he said the federal operation in Minneapolis needs to “stand down and immediately end.” He tried to make his position clear, describing himself as a “very pro-immigration Democrat.”
However, he insisted that the country still needs a secure border and should deport migrants who commit crimes.
Fetterman isn’t the only one criticizing the DHS Secretary right now. Lawmakers from both parties have raised their voices against Noem after her comments on Pretti’s death.
Immediately after the killing, Noem claimed Pretti had “attacked” federal agents and was “brandishing” a gun. But video footage released later appeared to contradict her story, showing neither of those things happening in the moments before the shooting.
READ: “Patience Is At An End”: Minnesota Judge Threatens ICE Chief With Contempt After Orders Ignored
The pressure comes at a bad time for Noem. For months, there has been talk in Washington that she is already on shaky ground with the President.
Those rumors heated up Monday when Trump sent his “Border Czar,” Tom Homan, to take charge in Minneapolis. The move effectively sidelined Noem and her ally, Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Greg Bovino, suggesting the White House might be losing patience with its own security chief.
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