U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a House Homeland Security hearing entitled “Worldwide Threats to the Homeland,” on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S. Dec. 11, 2025.
Anger at Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem coursed throughout the Senate on Tuesday, especially among senators who voted to confirm her.
Why it matters: Democrats disagreed on whether her departure would change the Trump administration’s immigration policy. But Republicans, for the first time, broke ranks with President Trump on Noem.
- “She should be out of a job,” said Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who voted to confirm Noem.
- “I would not support her again, and I think it probably is time for her to step down,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who also voted to confirm Noem.
“Kristi Noem should resign or be removed,” said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), one of seven Democrats who voted for Noem.
- “She clearly does not know what she’s doing. She’s not up to the job. She’s lied to the American public, and it’s time for her to go.”
- Noem is “inept and absolutely incompetent,” said Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) in an interview with Axios Pittsburgh.
- “I have said that in a normal administration, she would have been asked to resign by now. This is obviously not a normal administration,” said Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.).
- “I don’t want a DHS Secretary Stephen Miller,” said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), who also voted for Noem.
- “Just her resignation would not be sufficient.”
- “If she goes, we’re going to get just another bad apple,” Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) told reporters. “So we have to fix DHS.”
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), who voted for Noem, dodged questions on whether she should resign. “I will have more to say about it tomorrow,” she said.
AXIOS
