The National Review on Monday deemed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem the single-most “incompetent” official under President Donald Trump, citing her remarks on Saturday’s fatal shooting and begging for her to be fired — ideally “into the sun.”
While the conservative magazine has broken with Trump over various issues before, staff writer Jeffrey Blehar argues that Noem has become his biggest problem and has exacerbated sky-high tensions after U.S Customs and Border Protection agents fatally shot Alex Pretti.
“I will say this: Any hope of Trump’s presidency clawing its way out of the hole it has dug for itself begins with firing Kristi Noem, current secretary of homeland security and the administration’s most prominent ‘ridealong disaster’ during its first year,” wrote Blehar.
He continued, “Preferably out of a rocket, and into the sun.”
Blehar was arguing that the Trump administration is in dire need of damage control after federal agents in Minneapolis were filmed disarming Pretti, who lawfully had a gun on his person while documenting local protests, and fatally shooting the 37-year-old ICU nurse.
He argued Noem has become the administration’s “most visible avatar of damage,” citing her claims during a press conference about the incident, and pleaded with Trump: “Stanch the bleeding by canning your most incompetent lieutenant.”
Noem said Saturday at the FEMA headquarters in Washington, D.C., “This individual who came with weapons and ammunition to stop a law enforcement operation of federal law enforcement officers committed an act of domestic terrorism. That’s the facts.”
Blehar countered Monday, “Oh, are they? Alex Pretti committed ‘domestic terrorism’ by being there? ‘This looks like a situation where an individual arrived to inflict maximum damage and kill law enforcement,’ Noem said. I am envious of her mind-reading ability.”
He continued, “For my own part, I saw a guy executed while face down on the street.”
Ronda Churchill/File/Associated Press
Eyewitness videos captured Saturday appear to show Pretti filming an interaction between two women and a federal agent before he was wrestled to the ground by about six agents and disarmed. Then, around 10 rounds were fired into Pretti’s body.
Blehar on Monday went on to tear Noem apart for supposedly exhibiting her “previously undisclosed powers of clairvoyance” in baselessly asserting that Pretti was attempting to “kill law enforcement,” and continued making his case for Trump to let her go.
“Trump doesn’t even have to fire her … but can at least denigrate and demote,” he wrote. “Kristi Noem should immediately become the least visible member of this administration. I get that Trump doesn’t like admitting defeat, or error.”
Blehar went on to suggest in conclusion, “So instead, bank a win in this case by acknowledging that you have been let down by one of your subordinates, and restore public confidence by taking her to the figurative gravel pit. Just my advice.”