Senator Thom Tillis delivered a sharp critique of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday, expressing no confidence in her leadership in the wake of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Tillis’s comments, given during an interview on the state of disaster recovery and border security, highlight mounting criticism of Noem from both sides of the political aisle.
“No. None at all,” Tillis said when asked whether he has confidence in Noem. “I’ve tried to maintain confidence, but I’ve done a comparison of disaster relief—Trump 1 versus Trump 2—and there’s no comparison whatsoever. Trump 1 was right on with disaster recovery. Think about Matthew and Florence. In this case, she’s not even handling other parts of her job.”
GOP Sen. Thom Tillis:
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) January 28, 2026
“Stephen Miller never fails to live up to my expectations of incompetence”
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Tillis emphasized what he sees as Noem’s serious lapses in judgment and competence. “At one point, she thought FEMA should be eliminated. To give you an idea of how incompetent I think she is, she actually thought FEMA should be eliminated. When a FEMA director said he didn’t think that was a good idea, she fired him within 24 hours. Now she understands that FEMA is an important part of her job. These are amateurish, assistant-manager-level thought processes going into someone in a cabinet-level position. It’s unacceptable.”
Asked if Noem should step down, Tillis replied cautiously, saying the decision is ultimately hers, though he added that “she has taken this administration into the ground on an issue we should own. We should own border security and immigration, which got the president elected. They have destroyed it through their incompetence.”
Tillis’s remarks come amid escalating scrutiny of Noem following the January 2026 shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse, during a federal immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. The incident sparked nationwide protests and renewed debate over the use of aggressive federal tactics.
Noem is also facing unprecedented political pressure through congressional channels. Over 100 House Democrats have co-sponsored articles of impeachment against her, citing obstruction of Congress, violations of public trust, and self-dealing. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) said the resolution reflects “increasing scrutiny of Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations and Noem’s leadership of the department,” noting that “communities have seen ICE’s Gestapo-like tactics firsthand.”
The impeachment resolution highlights growing bipartisan concern over DHS leadership, with critics arguing that Noem’s decisions have directly contributed to both operational failures and the escalation of violence. Tillis’s public criticism underscores the widening dissatisfaction with Noem’s management of the department, particularly in areas that were key campaign promises for the Trump administration, including border security and disaster relief.
As pressure mounts from both congressional Democrats and some Republican leaders, the future of Noem’s tenure remains uncertain. Tillis’s comments indicate that skepticism about her performance is not limited to partisan lines, further complicating the administration’s response to ongoing DHS controversies.
