‘Fire Kristi Noem’, Senator John Fetterman warns Trump against committing mistake like Joe Biden

Senator John Fetterman urges President Trump to dismiss Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, citing her failure in border security.

Updated on: Jan 27, 2026, 21:28:51 IST

By Shweta Kukreti

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Democratic Senator John Fetterman from Pennsylvania has issued a direct request to President Donald Trump to fire Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in the wake of fatal shooting of a second US citizen in Minneapolis by federal agents.

'“I make a direct appeal to immediately fire @Sec_Noem. Americans have died. She is betraying DHS’s core mission and trashing your border security legacy,” Fetterman wrote on X, tagging the US President.

Fetterman, who often serves as a distinct voice within the Senate, has stated that – in contrast to other Democratic senators – he will not force a government shutdown due to funding disagreements related to the Department of Homeland Security.

Also Read: Alex Pretti GoFundMe: Did Bill Ackman just donate to ICU nurse's family?

‘DO NOT make the mistake President Biden made’: Fetterman to Trump

He advised Trump against repeating former President Joe Biden's error of not dismissing “a grossly incompetent DHS Secretary.”

Fetterman seemed to refer to former DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who was the target of impeachment efforts by Republicans in 2024.

House Republicans claimed that Mayorkas breached the Constitution by intentionally neglecting to enforce border security laws. The impeachment article ultimately failed in the Senate.

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Kristi Noem faces backlash

Noem has faced significant criticism regarding her reaction to the death of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old VA nurse who was shot in the street during city-wide protests against Trump’s immigration policies on Saturday.

Noem stated that Pretti had “approached Border Patrol officers with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun” and “reacted violently” when the officers tried to disarm him. She further accused Pretti of embodying “the definition of domestic terrorism.”

There is now increasing backlash against Noem’s comments regarding the shooting and her portrayal of Pretti and the events that transpired. According to a report by the New York Times, Trump held a two-hour meeting with Noem in the Oval Office on Monday evening in light of the aftermath of the weekend incident.

Trump did not suggest during the meeting that Noem’s position was in jeopardy, as per the Times. The President, however, has announced deployment of his czar Tom Homan in Minneapolis.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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