Kristi Noem Addresses Her Misleading Statements About Alex Prettis Murder
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday defended her response to the killing of Alex Pretti at the hands of federal immigration agents over the weekend, saying the Trump administration was “using the best information we had at the time,” although she admitted “we can always do better.” (See video below).
Noem was sidelined by President Donald Trump after her claims that Pretti was looking to “kill law enforcement” and was “brandishing a gun” were directly undermined by eyewitness video of the shooting, sparking an uproar across the country, including criticism from Republican lawmakers.
In her first interview since Saturday, Noem told News’ Sean Hannity that her assessment was based on initial accounts from people on the ground.
“Well, Sean, I know that you realize that this situation was very chaotic and that they were transmitting information to us from the ground, from [Customs and Border Protection] agents and officers who were there. “We were using the best information we had at the time, seeking to be transparent with the American people,” he said.
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Peter Doocy took on the Secretary of Homeland Security on several fronts.
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The DHS secretary also argued to the journalist that she does not know “any peaceful protester who shows up with a gun and ammunition instead of a sign.””
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“She has shown that she does not know how to lead,”” Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said Tuesday about Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
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The conservative political commentator also argued that the Trump administration did not realize how complex the immigration issue would be.
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The moment came after News host Dana Perino played a clip of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem arguing that Pretti came to “stop a police operation.””
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Noem added that the FBI will lead an investigation into Pretti’s murder.
“We will continue to follow the investigation that the FBI is leading and provide them with all the information they need to reach a conclusion and make sure the American people know the truth,” he said.
Asked if there were any lessons to be learned for nearly a week after Pretti’s murder, Noem said, “We believe we can always do better and we try to do that every day.”
Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Noem has faced intense pressure to resign from her position following Pretti’s murder, including from two Republican senators: Thom Tillis (NC) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska).
But Hannity highlighted comments from House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries that Noem “needs to be permanently frozen,” without mentioning GOP calls for her impeachment.
“Well, these radicals are attacking me, but I’m just doing my job. I’m following the law, enforcing the laws, like President Trump promised he would do to keep people safe in this country,” Noem said.
While Noem is now trying to soften her tone about Saturday’s shooting, the Department of Homeland Security’s response in the immediate aftermath distorted reality. The department claimed it appeared Pretti “wanted to cause maximum damage and massacre law enforcement” before any investigation had a chance to take place, and even as videos public at the time undermined that account. Noem’s press conference also amplified the misleading statements.
Al Drago via Getty Images
As outrage ensued, Trump sent his border czar, Tom Homan, to Minneapolis in an apparent effort to reduce tensions there.
But while Homan said Thursday that he was looking for “common-sense cooperation that allows us to reduce the number of people we have here,” Trump said otherwise during an exchange with reporters that same night.
Meanwhile, in a post on his Truth Social platform just before 2 a.m., Trump called Pretti “a troublemaker” and said his “values have gone way down,” citing a video of a violent confrontation the ICU nurse had with federal agents 11 days before her shooting death.
He said: “It was quite a display of abuse and anger, for everyone to see, crazy and out of control.”