Kristi Noem Takes Another Hit As Her Belligerent Mouthpiece Tricia McLaughlin Bails On Trump Admin

Kristi Noem was surrounded by controversy even before becoming Donald Trump's Secretary of Homeland Security. (She'll forever be doomed to appear in Google searches for "Kristi Noem puppy.") But all that pales in comparison to the troubles Noem has had since taking on the job. From Noem's "ICE Barbie" photo ops to her leadership of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, the former South Dakota governor has been slammed by politicians and protesters. Now comes even more dire news: Her trusted mouthpiece is bailing on her.

Per CBS News and other sources, Tricia McLaughlin will be stepping down from her post as the department's spokesperson sometime during the week of February 22. It's a surprising move from someone who has been a staunch defender of Noem and the DHS, even in the face of criticism. But McLaughlin herself has recently come under fire. She's married to the CEO of a company that stands to profit handsomely from an ad about illegal immigration that Noem made in the fall of 2025. The ethics of the deal have been called into question.

McLaughlin's response to the fatal shooting of two Minneapolis residents by ICE agents has also damaged her reputation. The spokesperson claimed the killings were justified: Renee Good, she said, was "violent" and committing "an act of domestic terrorism" (per X). Footage of the incident shows Good turning her car away from ICE agent Jonathan Ross and trying to drive off before he opened fire. As for the killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti, who was legally carrying a gun, McLaughlin insisted he "wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement" (via The Guardian). Pretti, however, never drew his weapon and was disarmed before being shot 10 times by ICE agents.

The departure of Tricia McLaughlin is raising questions about her boss's future. Kristi Noem's inappropriate moments as Homeland Security head have already elicited calls for her impeachment and ouster. Even top Republicans have lost faith in Noem; Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina has said (via PBS): "What she's done in Minnesota should be disqualifying. She should be out of a job." 

President Trump has continued to support the secretary despite the outrage. Following the Minneapolis shootings, he was asked whether Noem would be stepping down. He immediately denied it, saying (via YouTube), "I think she's doing a very good job." At the National Prayer Breakfast days later, Trump reiterated his support, citing the success of her border security measures. Still, job security is never guaranteed in this administration; Trump's former White House press secretaries could tell you that. Not only did he zip through four of them during his first term in office, but he also had no kind words for them afterward. Trump gave Kayleigh McEnany the brutal nickname of "Milktoast" for what he considered her lack of support for his second re-election campaign. It's not hard to imagine what demeaning names the president might have for Noem if he were to sour on her.

Noem gave a warm send-off to her spokesperson soon after the announcement. Lauding McLaughlin on X for serving "with exceptional dedication, tenacity, and professionalism," she concluded, "While we are sad to see her leave, we are grateful for her service and wish Tricia nothing but success."