Why Kristi Noem is accused of putting out a fake press release on leaving Trump role
Questions over the release
Noem posted the release on X on October 16. It described her Shield of the Americas position as a six-month appointment and said she continued as a senior adviser at the State Department.
Reports now say department heads did not authorize the statement. The Independent contacted the State Department for comment on whether the release was authentic.
Scrutiny of her tenure
Trump fired Noem as homeland security secretary in March. Her leadership had faced intense scrutiny during an immigration crackdown carried out by her and Trump. The crackdown resulted in the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens and the detention of a five-year-old boy in Minnesota. Noem also appeared in a television advertisement filmed during the government shutdown last fall, riding horseback near Mount Rushmore in South Dakota.
Other recent developments
In July, Noem’s mother, Corinne Arnold, told the Daily Mail that her daughter had started divorce proceedings and described the period as difficult. Separately, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Justice Department was examining allegations Corey Lewandowski profited from his role as Noem’s close adviser at Homeland Security.
Key points
- Noem shared a release describing her Shield of the Americas appointment as lasting six months.
- Reports say department heads did not authorize the release, and the State Department was asked to comment.
- Noem was fired as homeland security secretary in March after scrutiny of her leadership.
- The Justice Department is examining allegations involving former Noem adviser Corey Lewandowski, according to the Wall Street Journal.