Kristi Noem against Stephen Miller?

 

Kristi Noem against Stephen Miller?

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller are currently embroiled in a public "blame game" following the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen, Alex Pretti, by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis.

 

The tension between the two officials centers on the following:

• Passing the Buck: Noem is reportedly attempting to shift blame onto Miller for the administration's controversial decision to label the victim as a "domestic terrorist" and claim he intended to "massacre" agents. Reports suggest Noem claims she was following Miller's lead in using this incendiary language.
• Miller's Rebuttal: Miller has pushed back by suggesting that Border Patrol agents on the ground failed to follow protocols and blamed faulty intelligence from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for his own inaccurate statements.
• Political Survival: While Noem has been the public face of the immigration crackdown, she has reportedly met privately with President Trump to "save her own skin," a meeting from which Miller was notably excluded.
• External Pressure: Both officials face intense calls for resignation from Democratic lawmakers and labor unions, as well as stinging criticism from some Republicans like Senator Thom Tillis, who labeled their handling of the situation as "incompetent".