Kristi Noem has turned the Department of Homeland Security into a running sore for Donald Trump, an analyst has claimed.
The Secretary of Homeland Security invoked the wrath of Trump's advisors last week, with those closest to the president left uncomfortable by a pitch from Noem and Corey Lewandowski. A report from The Wall Street Journal confirmed that Noem and Lewandowski, a former campaign manager who has worked with Trump in the past, are attempting to win the president over.
Michelle Hackman, Josh Dawsey, and Tarini Parti wrote, "The pair worked to hastily solidify their relationship with the president, successfully requesting an Oval Office meeting with Trump two days after the Pretti shooting.
"Noem and Lewandowski’s close relationship had already made Trump and his top advisers uncomfortable. Lewandowski had initially wanted to formally serve as Noem’s chief of staff, but Trump rejected the idea due to reports of a romantic relationship between the two—which he has continued to bring up, officials say."
The discomfort caused by Noem and Lewandowski has reportedly continued, with Salon columnist Amanda Marcotte suggesting the Department of Homeland Security head has overseen a catastrophe for the Trump admin.
Marcotte wrote, "The irony is that Noem herself is not an orderly person. All reports suggest that, under her management, DHS has become a disaster zone, from the lack of standards or training for ICE officers to serious in-fighting unleashed by her aggressive but dim-witted management techniques.
"Then there’s the colorful gossip that underscores how Noem’s life is a roiling storm that creates chaos wherever she goes. True to his nature, the president refuses to see this reality.
"On Monday, he blamed Democrats for DHS’s funding shutdown, insisting it has 'nothing to do with Republicans.' But this is delusional. The two people most to blame are himself and Noem.
"This time last year, Trump had high approval ratings on immigration, as people had bought into the lie that his and Noem’s plan was to impose order and reduce crime. Instead, under their chaotic leadership, sections of once-peaceful American cities like Minneapolis have now come to look more like war zones."