Kristi Noem faced criticism from Fox News host Trey Gowdy following Republicans’ disappointing midterm results. Gowdy challenged her claim that the Trump administration had been “too successful.” He argued that her response to the fatal shootings of two Americans by federal immigration agents reflected a perceived lack of empathy.
Trey Gowdy slams Kristi Noem’s response to ICE killings
During his November 8 segment, Gowdy addressed Noem’s explanation for Republicans’ election losses. The former DHS secretary had shared her assessment in a November 3 post on X. She wrote, “Larry Kudlow is correct. We were too successful the first year of the Trump administration.”
Noem was referencing Fox Business host Larry Kudlow’s election commentary. Kudlow had suggested that Trump’s administration achieved too much during its first year but failed to communicate those accomplishments effectively.
Gowdy challenged Noem’s interpretation, saying, “Former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem had a quite unique take on the law. She said she was too successful at doing her job.”
He then linked her response to the fatal shootings of two Americans to voters’ dissatisfaction. “Calling dead Americans domestic terrorists before the investigation even commenced is not too much success,” Gowdy said. He described her response as “a perceived lack of empathy,” which he argued had motivated voters.
Gowdy was referring to Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two American citizens killed in separate shootings involving federal immigration agents in Minnesota in January 2026. Noem had described the victims as domestic terrorists before the investigations were completed.
The incidents triggered public criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies. rump removed Noem from her position in March 2026 amid mounting controversy over her leadership, including the Minnesota shootings. He named Markwayne Mullin as her replacement.
Gowdy also criticized the administration’s broader approach to immigration enforcement. He argued that voters had not given officials unlimited authority to deport people without considering their circumstances. “You can enforce the law and preserve your humanity,” he said.
He further warned against interpreting election victories as unlimited political authority. He argued that voters could withdraw their support when elected officials overstepped their mandate.
