Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem launched a furious tirade against CNN Thursday after the network reported she delayed potentially life-saving federal aid during catastrophic Texas flooding that has killed at least 120 people.
Speaking to the hosts of Fox & Friends Thursday, Noem hit back at CNN reporting that claimed she personally delayed approving Urban Search and Rescue crews while Texans drowned.
"Our Coast Guard, our Border Patrol, BORTAC teams were there immediately," she insisted. "Every single thing they asked for, we were there."
But CNN's explosive investigation revealed a different story: Noem micromanaged disaster response and created deadly delays. The ex-South Dakota governor—who infamously bragged about shooting her own puppy—instituted new bureaucratic red tape requiring her personal sign-off on any contract or grant exceeding $100,000, effectively neutering FEMA's ability to respond rapidly to emergencies.
While Texas communities begged for help as floodwaters rose Friday, Noem didn't sign off on deploying rescue teams until Monday. Meanwhile she was asking her Instagram followers to choose between three paintings of herself on horseback for her official gubernatorial portrait.
Noem branded CNN's factual reporting as "fake news" and "absolute trash," parroting her boss President Donald Trump's frequent attacks on the network. "CNN continuing to be political and push out fake information and false information and lies is not shocking, but it's a disservice to the country," she said.
FEMA officials expressed horror at the bureaucratic nightmare Noem created. "We were operating under a clear set of guidance: lean forward, be prepared, anticipate what the state needs, and be ready to deliver it," one frustrated FEMA official told CNN. "That is not as clear of an intent for us at the moment."
Noem spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said FEMA is being transformed from "bloated, DC-centric dead weight to a lean, deployable disaster force."