Laura Ingraham Asks Why Trump Didn’t Remove Kristi Noem Sooner: ‘Why Didn’t They Fire Her Right Away?’

 

Laura Ingraham wondered why, given the ample self-inflicted bad press surrounding Kristi Noem, President Donald Trump did not fire her sooner.

Trump removed Noem as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on Thursday and shortly afterward nominated Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) for the job.

Hours later on Thursday’s edition of The Ingraham Angle on Fox News, the host noted that Noem had deemed Alex Pretti, who was killed by DHS agents in Minneapolis in January, a domestic terrorist immediately after the incident. But video emerged showing that Pretti was not being aggressive toward officers before they shot him in the back.

Ingraham also pointed out that Noem spent $220 million on a DHS television ad featuring herself on a horse. Noem testified before Congress that Trump approved the expenditure, a claim Trump later denied. During her testimony, Noem was also asked about a long-rumored affair she has allegedly been having with Corey Lewandowski, who served as a special government employee at DHS.

Noem, who was under oath, refused to answer the question, which she dodged by calling it “tabloid garbage.”

Speaking to Fox News contributor Ari Fleischer, Ingraham asked what had taken so long.

“Why didn’t they fire her right away?” the host asked. “Because that would have given a scalp to those who were actually trying to hinder and impede ICE on the streets? Why drag this out?”

Fleischer postulated that the pricey TV ad taking center stage in a public hearing pushed Trump to act.

“Well, because I think the president is reluctant to let people go, and especially on his singular issue,” he said. “So, I think the advertisement piece we heard yesterday is also what tipped the president over. She was on thin ice after Minnesota.”

Watch above via Fox News.

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Mike is a Mediaite senior editor who covers the news in primetime. Follow him on Bluesky.