Joe Scarborough rebukes Kristi Noem for misleading public on ICE shooting victim: 'Bold-faced lie'

Joe Scarborough claimed Kristi Noem misled the public by calling Renee Nicole Good a violent domestic threat despite no supporting evidence
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem insisted ICE acted in self-defense, citing snow conditions, though videos reportedly showed no snowbanks at the scene (Screengrab/MS Now/Youtube, Getty Images)
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem insisted ICE acted in self-defense, citing snow conditions, though videos reportedly showed no snowbanks at the scene (Screengrab/MS Now/Youtube, Getty Images)


MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: 'Morning Joe' host Joe Scarborough sharply criticized Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday, January 8, accusing her of spreading a “bold-faced lie” after she claimed a woman fatally shot by an ICE agent was committing an act of “domestic t*******m.”

The woman, identified as Renee Nicole Good, 37, was shot multiple times through the windshield of her vehicle on Wednesday morning after ICE agents surrounded her car as it blocked a roadway and attempted to pull her from it.

In the aftermath of the shooting, Noem held a press conference asserting that ICE agents were “stuck in the snow” when Good “attacked them,” prompting an officer to open fire in self-defense, a claim later echoed by President Donald Trump.

Noem went further, labeling the woman’s actions “domestic t*******m.”

A notice reading
A notice reading 'RIP Renee, murdered by ICE' is seen next to a memorial for Renee Nicole Good on January 07, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Joe Scarborough claims Kristi Noem lied to control the narrative

On Thursday’s 'Morning Joe', Scarborough and co-host Mika Brzezinski repeatedly replayed footage from the scene, encouraging viewers to compare what they were seeing with the official explanation offered by the administration.

Scarborough acknowledged that police-involved shootings can involve complex, fast-moving decisions and disputed interpretations. But he said there was “no ambiguity” in Noem’s public statements following the incident.

An onlooker holds a sign that reads
An onlooker holds a sign that reads 'Shame' as members of law enforcement work the scene following a suspected shooting by an ICE agent during federal law enforcement operations on January 07, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

“There are many times when there are ambiguities,” Scarborough said, noting that law enforcement guidelines generally warn officers not to place themselves in front of moving vehicles.

“I will say, though, there is no ambiguity that Kristi Noem got out immediately and lied,” he stated.

He accused Noem of referencing conditions, including snowbanks that did not appear in any of the videos, and of speaking publicly before the facts were established.

ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 27: South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem addresses the Conservative Political A
Kristi Noem, after the incident, came out in support of the ICE agent and seemingly blamed the 37-year-old Minnesota woman instead (Getty Images) 

Joe Scarborough rejects Kristi Noem's ICE shooting narrative

Scarborough expressed particular outrage over Noem’s decision to brand Good a domestic t*******t, noting that there was no evidence supporting such a claim.

“The videos that are shown clearly underline the fact that you have someone responsible for this who got out as quickly as she could and lied to the American people,” Scarborough said, emphasizing that Good was a 37-year-old mother whose death left a child without a parent.

People protest in the Mission District in San Francisco on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
People protest in the Mission District in San Francisco on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer reportedly shot and killed Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

After replaying Noem’s remarks, Scarborough added, “Everything but the fact that ‘she was hit and she’s deceased’ in that statement was wrong.”

He described ICE agents rushing toward Good’s vehicle, surrounding it, pulling on her door, and shouting commands before one agent moved in front of the car and fired at close range, actions Scarborough said violated standard law enforcement training.

“Nobody was endangered there except people around the shooter who fired multiple gunshots on a crowded street,” Scarborough said.

Local officials, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, rejected Noem’s characterization, saying publicly available video does not support the administration’s narrative of events.

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