Posted by Alumni from The Atlantic
January 29, 2026
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appeared before a bank of television cameras in Washington, D.C., on Saturday night to blame the man who had been shot to death by federal agents in Minneapolis that morning for his own death, claiming without evidence that he had intended 'to kill law enforcement' and had been 'brandishing' a weapon. Behind her stood the commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, Rodney Scott, sending a silent message of unity. But behind the scenes, the senior ranks of the Department of Homeland Security were divided. Until minutes before they walked in front of the cameras, Noem and Scott had not spoken to each other that day, even as Noem took charge of her department's response to the shooting and coordinated with the White House and other officials in Scott's agency, two people familiar with their interactions told us. Donald Trump has said over the years that he welcomes and even encourages rivalries in his administration, and delights in watching... learn more