Democrats warn of Noem impeachment if Trump won’t fire her: ‘We can do this easy way or hard way’
WASHINGTON, DC: House Democratic leaders on Tuesday warned they would move to impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem if Donald Trump does not remove her from office, escalating a political confrontation following the fatal shooting of a US citizen by federal agents in Minneapolis.
Noem has come under intense criticism for her comments after the killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse who was shot and killed by federal agents on Saturday, intensifying calls for accountability from Democratic lawmakers and civil rights groups.
Hakeem Jeffries says ‘we can do this the easy way or the hard way’
“The violence unleashed on the American people by the Department of Homeland Security must end forthwith,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar said in a joint statement.
“Kristi Noem should be fired immediately, or we will commence impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives,” the leaders said, adding, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”
In the aftermath of Pretti’s death, Noem said he had been “brandishing” a weapon and had responded “violently” when officers attempted to disarm him. The claims were later contradicted by video analysis and reporting from multiple news outlets, further fueling Democratic outrage.
The House Democratic leadership accused the Trump administration of abusing DHS authority, saying, “Taxpayer dollars are being weaponized by the Trump administration to kill American citizens, brutalize communities and violently target law-abiding immigrant families.”
Trump backs Noem despite growing backlash
Despite the criticism, Trump on Tuesday signaled he has no intention of removing Noem. Asked by a reporter at the White House whether Noem would leave her post, the president replied, “No.” “She’s doing a very good job,” Trump said before departing Washington for a trip to Iowa.
The White House has since moved to soften its tone around Pretti’s killing, backing away from earlier rhetoric by senior aides who had labeled him a “domestic terrorist.”
“Nobody in the White House, including President Trump, wants to see people getting hurt or killed in America’s streets,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday.
Shutdown fight collides with DHS funding
The Democratic warning comes as a partial government shutdown looms, with DHS funding emerging as a central flashpoint. The House last week passed a spending package of more than $1.2 trillion that included funding for DHS and other federal agencies, but the Senate faces a Saturday deadline to act.
The outrage surrounding Pretti’s death, along with the recent shooting of Renee Nicole Good, another US citizen killed by federal agents in Minneapolis this month, has led Senate Democrats to demand that funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) be removed from the broader spending package.
To overcome a filibuster, Republicans need Democratic votes forcannot pass the bills without bipartisan support.
To overcome a filibuster, Republicans need Democratic votes for bipartisan support to pass the bills.
“Senate Democrats have made clear we are ready to quickly advance the five appropriations bills separately from the DHS funding bill before the January 30th deadline,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said on Monday.
“The responsibility to prevent a partial government shutdown is on Leader Thune and Senate Republicans,” Schumer added.
