U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in Washington, DC. U.S., January 15, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
Secretary Kristi Noem is facing another day of bad press as reports swirl about the "culture of fear" inside the Department of Homeland Security.
Axios and The Atlantic are both out with reports talking about Noem's abuse of staffers and her realization that she's likely to be impeached if she doesn't leave office.
The Atlantic revealed that someone placed a poll in the field in South Dakota to gauge Noem's popularity because she might challenge Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) for his seat. The report said that Noem is well aware she's not long for the Trump Cabinet and she's looking for a new job.
Over the past few weeks, reports have exposed the conflict between Noem and the U.S. Coast Guard, including her mistreatment of officials in the branch. An NBC News report said she demanded a plane being used for search-and-rescue be taken off a mission to be used for deportations. A Wall Street Journalreport revealed she fired a Coast Guard pilot who left her blanket on a plane, only to realize she was stranded without him.
The same Wall Street Journal report said Noem screamed about Tom Homan, the executive associate director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), who appeared on television more than she did.
Axios reported Friday that things are so bad at DHS that there is now a huge staffing shortage. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is down about 2,000 staffers.
The Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has also hemorrhaged top officials and staff, including the executive director. They're down about 1,000 people, and there hasn't been a Senate-confirmed leader for about a year.
At FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, there are 1,600 fewer staff, Axios reported, citing an Office of Management and Budget report. The Federal News Network reported that about 10 percent of DHS employees have quit in the last year since Noem took over.
Meanwhile, about 80 percent of ICE's career leadership has been fired or demoted, even as DHS is so desperate for more staff that it's offering $50,000 signing bonuses, Axios said.
One Washington Examinerreport stated that Noem and her top aide, Corey Lewandowski, wanted Border Patrol Commissioner Rodney Scott to step down, so they launched their own pressure campaign. Axios characterized it as going to "extreme lengths" to get him to resign. The Border Patrol office lost "a century of combined experience" after firing its top leadership.
At the same time, White House aides aren't happy with Noem either, believing she relies too much on Lewandowski to run things while she has become the "face" of the department.
Democrats have told Noem to her face that she must resign. Republicans have followed suit, saying the same. One Illinois Democrat has already introduced articles of impeachment. Given the power balance in the House, the articles aren't likely to go anywhere. But if Democrats take over the House in November, that could change if Noem hasn't resigned already.
DHS spokespeople denied the reports.