“She should go”: Two GOP senators call on Noem to resign for “amateurish” leadership at DHS

Two prominent GOP senators broke from their party on Tuesday and called on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said Noem’s handling of the surge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Minneapolis has been “just terrible” and accused her of “incompetence.”

“I think what she’s done in Minnesota should be disqualifying. She should be out of a job,” Tillis told reporters on Tuesday. “It’s just amateurish. It’s making the president look bad.”

When asked if he had any confidence in Noem, Tillis said “not at all.” He compared Noem’s “thought process” to that of an “assistant manager.” Tillis also referred to Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller as “incompetent.”

“If I were president, neither one of them would be in Washington right now,” Tillis said.

Tillis unleashes on Noem and Miller –

“I think if Noem looks at her body of work… I can’t think of any point of pride over the last yr”

“She has taken this admin into the ground on an issue that we should own”

“Miller never fails to live to my expectations of incompetence” pic.twitter.com/vAsyafqTuI

— Ellis Kim (@elliskkim) January 27, 2026

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska,  joined Tillis in his condemnation, calling Noem’s handling of ICE in Minneapolis “not helpful to the situation.” She called on Noem to “be accountable for the chaos and some of the tragedy that we have seen.”

“I voted for her,” Murkowski told reporters on Tuesday. “I would not support her again, and I think it’s probably time for her to step down.” She also told NBC that Noem “should go.”

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President Donald Trump lashed out at both senators on Wednesday morning, calling them “losers.”

“You know, what can I tell you? They’re terrible senators. One is gone and the other should be gone,” Trump told ABC News.