Kristi Noem frazzled by Democratic rep in contentious smackdown during live hearing
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U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 4, 2026. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Wednesday faced Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) during a contentious line of questioning about the deaths of American citizens at the hands of federal agents.
The House Judiciary Committee ranking member probed Noem on why she attacked slain Minnesota protesters Renée Nicole Good and Alex Jeffrey Pretti as "domestic terrorists" before knowing any of the facts of the case.
Raskin walked through some statements from friends and family about Good and Pretti, who expressed compassion and love for all people.
Noem refused to walk back any of the mistakes by DHS in the days following the shootings.
"Based on what you know today, madam secretary, based on what you know today, were Renee Good and Alex Pretti domestic terrorists?" Raskin asked.
Noem claimed that there was still an "ongoing investigation," implying that the investigation could still find evidence that they were domestic terrorists.
"You didn't wait for the investigation or evidence. You proclaimed they were domestic terrorists at the time," said Raskin. "Why did you do that?"
Noem said only that the federal agents go "into dangerous situations." She went on to say that those situations included "violent rioters."
"So, you're proud of the fact that you called them domestic terrorists?" Raskin asked.
Over and over he probed her about the language she used, and over and over she refused to apologize or correct the record.
Appearing before the Senate on Tuesday, Noem refused to even look at American citizens who were arrested, detained and brutalized by agents in her department.