Kristi Noem Throws Trump and Miller Under The Bus — 'Everything I've Done' Has Been Directed by Them

Kristi Noem, the embattled Homeland Security Secretary, has reportedly broken ranks with the White House, privately admitting that 'everything I've done' in office was directed by President Donald Trump and senior adviser Stephen Miller.

According to a bombshell report from Axios on 28 January 2026, Noem's admission comes as she faces an unprecedented impeachment push following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis.

By shifting accountability to Miller, the unelected architect of the administration's hardline immigration surge, and the President himself, Noem appears to be distancing herself from the legal and political fallout of Operation Metro Surge.

With over 140 House Democrats now co-sponsoring articles of impeachment and GOP senators joining the chorus for her resignation, the internal rift signals a major fracture in the administration's handling of federal law enforcement authority.

With public trust fraying and investigations widening, Noem's remarks are being interpreted less as loyalty and more as self-preservation. If accurate, they point to an unusually centralised chain of command at the heart of US immigration enforcement, one that now threatens to pull the White House directly into the legal and political fallout.

Noem's Admission Deepens White House Fallout

Noem's admission, as reported by Axios, that 'everything I've done' was at the direction of Trump and Miller suggests an unprecedented degree of reliance on the president and his senior adviser.

Miller, who serves as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Adviser, is widely viewed as the main architect of the hardline immigration policies, despite not being a Senate-confirmed official.

The admission appears to underscore the internal pressure Noem faces as political backlash mounts over the administration's handling of federal immigration operations in Minneapolis, where Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents shot and killed Alex Pretti during an enforcement operation.

Public scrutiny intensified after multiple news outlets, relying on bystander video, reported that official accounts conflicted with available evidence — including claims about Pretti's actions at the time of the shooting.

Noem's office has not released a public transcript or press release containing her exact words. The admission is reported via sources familiar with her remarks relayed to journalists.

The Minneapolis Incident and Political Backlash

On 24 January 2026, federal immigration agents fatally shot 37-year-old Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse and US citizen, during a heightened federal enforcement operation in Minneapolis. Federal authorities initially characterised the incident as involving Pretti brandishing a firearm, but bystander video evidence suggested he was not holding a gun at the moment he was shot.

Minnesota Police Chief Brian O'Hara told CBS News's Face the Nation that the videos speak for themselves, noting no indication that Pretti brandished a weapon prior to being shot.

President Trump later described the incident as 'very sad' and called for an 'honest investigation' while reaffirming federal support for immigration enforcement operations.

The killing followed an earlier federal shooting of another Minneapolis resident, Renee Good, which had already drawn criticism from civil rights groups and local officials.

Amid these events, local leaders, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, announced partial withdrawals of federal agents and signalled growing tensions between federal and local authorities over law enforcement oversight.

Rising Political Repercussions

The fallout has sparked rare intra-party tensions within the Republican ranks. Some Republican lawmakers have joined Democrats in calling for a full, transparent investigation into the incident, saying the public deserves clarity on how and why federal law enforcement used lethal force.

Calls for Noem's resignation or even impeachment have proliferated among Democratic lawmakers, who argue that her leadership has failed to ensure accountability within DHS and contributed to the dangerous deployment in Minneapolis.

Republican critics, including Senators Thom Tillis and John Curtis, have expressed concern about the political and public-safety consequences of the administration's immigration enforcement tactics, framing them as potentially damaging ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Legal action has also entered the fray. A federal judge has blocked the destruction of key evidence related to the Pretti shooting, as Minnesota prosecutors seek to secure facts for an independent inquiry.

The turbulent politics and administration infighting unleashed by Noem's reported admission stress a broader crisis over federal immigration strategy, executive accountability, and the rule of law.

Noem's startling acknowledgement that her actions were directed by Trump and Miller may signal not just a personal political reckoning but a broader crisis at the heart of federal immigration enforcement.

Whether Noem intended her remarks as candour or deflection, the political impact is unmistakable. By shifting responsibility upward, she has intensified scrutiny of Trump and Miller at a moment when the administration can least afford it.