‘She Should Be Out of a Job’: GOP Senator Calls for ‘Amateurish’ Kristi Noem’s Ouster

AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) called for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s ouster on  Tuesday, telling reporters that her “incompetence” in Minnesota means “she should be out of a job.”

Noem has faced increased scrutiny in recent days over her claim that Alex Pretti — the 37-year-old man shot dead by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis on Saturday — committed “domestic terrorism.”

Tillis was scathing in his assessment of the secretary’s performance, claiming her “amateurish” actions were hurting President Donald Trump’s image.

“I think that what she’s done in Minnesota should be disqualifying. She should be out of a job,” he said. “I mean, really, it’s just amateurish. It’s making the president look bad on policies that he won on.”

The senator went on to further decry Noem’s actions, taking a swipe at Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino, who was reportedly ousted from his post after claiming Pretti intended to “massacre” immigration agents.

“[Trump] won on a strong message on immigration. And now nobody’s talking about that. They’re not talking about securing the border. They’re talking about the incompetence of the leader of homeland security and the other people, Bovino, whatever his name is. He needs to go back to California, get his retirement papers, and go. These people are amateurs,” he said.

Tillis was not the only GOP senator to call out Noem. Frequent Trump critic Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) told reporters on Tuesday that it was “probably time for her to step down.”

The senators echoed the sentiment of House Democratic leadership, which on the same day released a statement demanding that Noem “be fired immediately” or face possible impeachment in the House.

Though the president defended Noem in a Tuesday interview with Fox News’ Will Cain, the secretary has reportedly already been sidelined from the situation in Minneapolis. Trump border czar Tom Homan is set to travel to the city to oversee operations in Noem’s place, a choice the president said he made to “shake up” the immigration team.

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