Kristi Noem seems with Trump in new ‘Shield of the Americas’ function – days after he fired her from DHS | EUROtoday
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Days after Donald Trump publicly humiliated Kristi Noem by firing her as Homeland Security secretary, she appeared alongside the president at a summit in Miami, Florida, the place she repeatedly praised his management.
The occasion at Trump’s National Doral Golf Club was dubbed the “Shield of the Americas” summit and noticed the president encourage gathered leaders from Latin American nations to take army motion towards drug trafficking cartels and transnational gangs that he says pose an “unacceptable threat” to the hemisphere’s nationwide safety.
Noem was in attendance in her new function as particular envoy to the initiative. She was fired Thursday from the highest job at DHS, making her the primary Cabinet official to be outdoors in Trump’s second time period.
Also current on the Miami occasion was Corey Lewandowski, Noem’s adviser on the division, who has additionally left his function. The pair have been dogged by allegations of an inappropriate relationship. At a congressional listening to earlier this week, Noem refused to reply straight when she was requested concerning the alleged affair by a lawmaker. Lewandowski posted an image of Trump and different world leaders to his X account.
In her first remarks in her newly-formed function, Noem repeatedly expressed her gratitude and admiration for Trump.
“First of all, I offer thanks to our president who had the vision to bring all of you as world leaders here,” Noem stated. She additionally thanked Trump “for giving me the honor and the opportunity to serve as a special envoy to this region.”
“This is intended to be a group that works together to make sure that we’re each defending our own sovereignty, we’re each defending our own security and economic prosperity,” she continued. “This Shield of [the] Americas will be a powerful example to the rest of the world about what’s possible.”
Noem went on to checklist her accomplishments at DHS — from securing the southern border to deporting or eradicating greater than three million folks migrants from the U.S. — including that she now hopes to make use of that have to assist different nations strengthen their very own borders.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, seated alongside Noem, additionally addressed the viewers, stating that the previous South Dakota governor can be deeply concerned within the Shield of the Americas.
“You will see a lot of her,” Rubio stated. “She’ll be very involved with each of you at a personal level.”
Earlier within the day, Trump delivered a speech to the leaders, and issued a contemporary warning to Cuba. The president stated he’s “looking forward to the great change that will soon be coming to Cuba,” including that the Caribbean nation is in its “last moments of life.”
Trump additionally signed a proclamation affirming his dedication to dismantling terrorist organizations and cartels that function within the Western Hemisphere on the occasion. Seventeen nations endorsed the hassle via a joint safety declaration signed on Thursday.
Noem’s appointment as particular envoy follows a turbulent 13-month tenure at DHS marked by a string of controversies.
She drew pushback over her dealing with of Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota, which led to the deaths of two American residents, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, whom she described as home terrorists. She has refused to stroll again or apologize for the feedback.
Noem additionally raised eyebrows together with her buy of a number of luxurious jets, a $220 million advert marketing campaign, gutting FEMA, and her rumored affair with Lewandowski.
The last nail within the coffin seems to have been Noem’s congressional testimony this previous week, throughout which Democrats and Republicans alike voiced sharp criticism of her administration and judgment.
At one level, Senator Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, launched into a prolonged tirade towards Noem, evaluating her missteps to her stunning anecdote about killing her personal pet.
One day after her second listening to, Trump fired off a 233-word Truth Social publish, stating that Noem was out at DHS — and that he was nominating Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin to interchange her.
An administration official advised NBC News that the president axed Noem as a result of “a culmination of her many unfortunate leadership failures, including the fallout in Minnesota, the ad campaign, the allegations of infidelity, the mismanagement of her staff, and her constant feuding with the heads of other agencies, including CBP and ICE.”
“Kristi’s drama sadly overshadowed and distracted from the Administration’s extremely popular immigration agenda, which will continue full force,” the official added.
Before she was fired, Noem vigorously defended her efficiency whereas fielding questions from lawmakers on Capitol Hill, sustaining she was faithfully executing Trump’s agenda and working by the ebook.
When requested by a Democratic consultant whether or not she was having an affair with Lewandowski, she responded: “I am shocked we are going down and peddling tabloid garbage today at this committee.”
She additionally insisted that the controversial $220 million DHS advert marketing campaign had been launched with the president’s approval — a declare Trump has denied.
In a not too long ago resurfaced interview from February 2025, Noem supplies additional particulars on the pricey advert blitz, which featured her driving on horseback in entrance of Mount Rushmore, claiming it was Trump’s thought. Noem stated the president advised her: “I want you to do those [ads] for the border. I want you to do those everywhere, not just in the United States, but I want them around the world.”
“And I said ‘well sir, do you want to be in those ads?’” Noem stated. “He said ‘nope, nope. I want you to do them.’”
Since her departure from DHS, Noem has not publicly pushed again towards the administration. But, an unnamed official advised The Daily Caller that she felt “thrown under the bus.”
With reporting from the Associated Press
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/kristi-noem-fired-shield-role-trump-b2934066.html