Frankly, it seems likely that most of us could have seen this one coming. Kristi Noem is now out as the head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Earlier today, Trump fired Noem, after she had just gone to Capitol Hill in an attempt to defend her record and her actions. This had become a particularly hot-button issue following Noem's controversial comments defending her ICE agents after they had killed American citizens in Minnesota. She had essentially suggested that ICE was justified in the killings, and even described the victims as terrorists.
Yet, let's face it: Noem had done basically exactly what Trump had asked her to do. It was Trump who wanted a monstrous, masked secret police force which would do his bidding and act as if they are above the law. As if no ramifications for their actions could ever touch them.
But Americans seemed not to like the constant videos and images of ICE agents acting like lawless brutes, like thugs. They did not like the idea of people being killed on the streets, and then high-ranking government agents (like Noem, particularly) acting like the victims were the aggressors, and ICE agents were the victims. And so she seemed to have become a persona non grata, a political liability for the Trump White House.
And so, just like that, she is out. Arguably, the most iconic female face of the MAGA movement is now out of favors with Trump and MAGA. She is no longer the head of Homeland Security.
If there is a silver lining in all of this, it is that her dismissal is an indication that public pressure on the Trump White House is working. ICE seemed to have much more support a the very beginning of Trump's second term. But now, they have a well-earned bad reputation, and it is clear that most people do not approve of them having carte blanche to do whatever the hell they like. It seemed like we literally had a secret, masked police force in this country, and they could simply "disappear" people off the streets, sending them away to some tiny Central American country, with little to no hope of ever getting their day in court.
In short, it's a backlash to one of Trump's essential moves towards creating the dictatorship that so many of his critics warned he would bring to this country.
For once, perhaps, there is a little bit of a reason to celebrate.
Trump cuts his losses on Noem after controversial tenure at homeland security 6 hours ago ShareSave Daniel Bush Washington correspondent
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2e4v7yvjx8o
Trump cuts his losses on Kristi Noem after mounting backlash
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