Jake Tapper confronts Kristi Noem on ICE shooting and Jan 6 law enforcement

WASHINGTON, DC: Department of Homeland Security Secretary (DHS) Kristi Noem was pressed by CNN anchor Jake Tapper on Sunday, January 11, over what he described as inconsistent standards in how law enforcement actions are judged under the Trump administration.

During a wide-ranging interview on State of the Union, Tapper played video footage from the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot and compared it to a recent fatal shooting involving an ICE agent in Minneapolis.

The exchange centered on whether Capitol Police would have been justified in using deadly force against rioters who physically attacked officers that day. Noem rejected the premise of a double standard, insisting that each incident must be evaluated based on its specific circumstances.

Tapper raises comparison between Jan 6 riot and ICE shooting 

During the interview, Tapper played footage showing rioters physically confronting law enforcement officers inside and around the US Capitol on January 6.

He compared those scenes to the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis and questioned whether the same standards applied. “Those are law enforcement officers being physically attacked,” Tapper said of the Capitol Police shown in the footage. “By this standard, would any of those officers be justified in shooting and killing the people causing them physical harm?”

Noem said that use-of-force decisions depend on circumstances faced by officers. “Every single situation is going to rely on the situation those officers are on,” she said.

“But they know that when people are putting hands on them, when they are using weapons against them, when they’re physically harming them, that they have the authority to arrest those individuals.”

Tapper then referenced President Trump’s actions following January 6. “The president pardoned every single one of those people,” he said, referring to rioters who assaulted law enforcement officers.

Noem said enforcement decisions are made within the framework of individual investigations. “Every single one of these investigations comes in the full context of the situation on the ground,” she said.

She added that Trump has focused on enforcing laws consistently and that disagreements over enforcement should be addressed through legislative action.

Noem defends administration's law enforcement approach 

Tapper challenged Noem’s assertion that laws are enforced equally, citing the pardons granted to individuals involved in the Capitol riot. “I just showed you video of people attacking law enforcement officers,” Tapper said.

“Undisputed proof, undisputed evidence. And I just said President Trump pardoned all of them. And you said that President Trump is enforcing all the laws equally. It’s just not true.”

Noem reiterated that investigations must be evaluated individually. “These instances and these investigations all have to be taken and done correctly in context of every situation that is happening on the ground,” she said.

She also addressed the Department of Homeland Security’s current priorities, saying the agency is focused on pursuing serious offenders.

 “The Department of Homeland Security is out there with our law enforcement officers, making sure that we’re targeting the worst of the worst,” Noem said, adding that individuals who commit acts of violence should face consequences.