WSJ Reports On DHS Noem's Fixation On PR

The Wall Street Journal reported that Kristi Noem, as Secretary of Homeland Security, has shown a notable fixation on rivaling Tom Homan, the White House border czar, particularly over media exposure and public visibility in the Trump administration's immigration enforcement efforts.

According to people familiar with the matter cited in the WSJ's coverage of chaos and internal dynamics at DHS (including a detailed piece on Noem's leadership style and controversies), Noem routinely tracked television appearances by both herself and Homan. 

She reportedly berated her own staff if she saw Homan appearing on TV, insisting on outpacing him in media spots to ensure she remained the primary public face of homeland security and deportation operations. On at least one occasion, she directed aides to arrange for her to draw a larger crowd at a conference than Homan, who was scheduled to speak on a different day.

Kristi Noem

This behavior highlights ongoing tensions between Noem and Homan, who have clashed since early in the administration over approaches to deportations—Noem pushing for aggressive, high-visibility actions and raw numbers, while Homan has advocated for more targeted enforcement. Their contentious relationship became especially evident during the Minneapolis immigration enforcement surge, where fatal shootings of U.S. citizens (including Alex Pretti and Renee Good) sparked backlash, protests, and scrutiny. 

Trump bypassed Noem's chain of command by dispatching Homan to take charge on the ground in Minneapolis, a move the White House insisted was not a rebuke of Noem but leveraged Homan's unique position and experience for coordination with local officials.

The rivalry has contributed to broader perceptions of dysfunction at DHS under Noem, including reports of her prioritizing personal branding (such as frequent travel, ad campaigns, and media dominance) over operational cohesion, irritating officials across agencies. Despite these frictions, Trump has publicly maintained confidence in Noem, and administration statements have emphasized unity in pursuing mass deportations.

This detail emerged amid wider WSJ reporting on DHS challenges, including a pilot fired over minor issues like a missing blanket, enforcement missteps in cities, and political fallout from high-profile incidents.