On Sunday, January 11, 2026, CNN’s Jake Tapper interviewed Kristi Noem, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, on State of the Union. The discussion centered on Noem’s rapid characterization of a deadly shooting involving an ICE agent that occurred on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, in Minneapolis.
The incident involved the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by an ICE officer during an immigration enforcement operation. The shooting took place at 10:37 a.m. Eastern time. Within just over two hours, the Department of Homeland Security issued a statement defending the agent and labeling Good’s actions as domestic terrorism. Noem reiterated this assessment during a press conference approximately 30 minutes later.
Tapper questioned why Noem did not wait for a full investigation before making these claims, citing Republican Senator Thom Tillis, who described it as unusual for a senior law enforcement official to draw conclusions while the scene was still being processed. Tillis noted that standard procedure involves acknowledging the loss of life, the impact on families, and collecting evidence such as videos before issuing judgments.
Noem responded that everything she had said had been proven factual and true. She explained that the Trump administration prioritizes transparency, and as DHS Secretary, she has a responsibility to share information quickly. Noem stated she had visited Minneapolis the day before the incident, spoken with officers and supervisors on the ground, and obtained the facts early. She believed the department and the public deserved to know the truth immediately.
Tapper challenged Noem’s initial description from the press conference: “What happened was our ICE officers were out in an enforcement action. They got stuck in the snow… because of the adverse weather that is in Minneapolis. They were attempting to push out their vehicle and a woman attacked them and those surrounding them and attempted to run them over and rammed them with her vehicle.”
Noem affirmed this account, clarifying that the officers had been in an enforcement action, a vehicle became stuck, and they assisted in freeing it. She said Good then blocked traffic for several minutes, yelled at the officers, and impeded a federal law enforcement operation. Noem emphasized that Good was breaking the law by obstructing and obstructing the investigation, and the officers acted according to their training.
When Tapper asked how Noem defined “domestic terrorist” after labeling Good as one within hours, Noem replied that Good weaponized her vehicle to conduct an act of violence against a law enforcement officer and the public. Noem referenced video released by DHS 48 hours later, which she said showed the officer being hit by the vehicle, describing it as the officer defending his life and those of his colleagues and the public.
Tapper pressed on the certainty of intent: how could Noem assert Good was trying to harm the officer rather than flee? Noem maintained that the definition of domestic terrorism fit the situation, as the vehicle was weaponized against law enforcement on U.S. soil. She added that further review of Good’s motivations would continue, noting Good had harassed and impeded operations throughout the morning, raising suspicions among officers.
Tapper highlighted potential ambiguity in the video—some interpret it as Good trying to hit the officer, others as attempting to move away and flee—and asked how Noem could rule out ambiguity so quickly without an investigation. Noem reiterated having spoken to officers, seen videos, and obtained facts immediately after the incident. She described the Trump administration as the most transparent in history, committed to providing the public with information promptly.
The interview also touched on the officer’s condition—Noem noted he was injured and treated at a hospital—and defended his actions as following training to protect himself and others.
Noem’s early statements came amid heightened tensions surrounding the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement actions in major cities, including Minneapolis, where the shooting sparked protests and disputes over the sequence of events. Local officials have contested aspects of the federal narrative, while DHS has maintained the officer acted in self-defense. An investigation is ongoing.
