Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina has publicly said he has “no confidence” in Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, delivering one of the strongest rebukes yet from within President Donald Trump’s own party.
Speaking to reporters outside the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, Tillis criticized Noem’s leadership of the Department of Homeland Security, calling her management “amateurish” and saying she should not take pride in her tenure at the agency.
Tillis’s remarks come just days after a 37-year-old Veterans Affairs nurse was shot and killed by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis, an incident that has sparked widespread protests and intensified scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement. Several Republicans, alongside Democrats, have raised concerns about how the incident is being investigated.
The North Carolina senator drew a sharp contrast between DHS operations during Trump’s first term and its current performance under Noem.
“Trump 1 was right on with disaster recovery if you think about Hurricanes Matthew and Florence,” Tillis said. “This time, she’s not even doing the other half of her job.”
DHS oversees the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which Trump announced plans to phase out after the 2025 hurricane season. The proposal followed criticism over FEMA’s response to Hurricane Helene, which killed more than 100 people in North Carolina.
Local officials in the state have complained that disaster relief efforts have become slower and more complicated. Kevin Leonard, head of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, previously said federal reimbursement rules now feel deliberately burdensome, increasing red tape for communities trying to rebuild.
Tillis also accused Noem of firing Cameron Hamilton, the acting FEMA administrator, after Hamilton publicly opposed dismantling the agency.
“These are assistant-manager level thought processes from someone running a cabinet-level department,” Tillis said. “It’s unacceptable.”
Despite his criticism, Tillis stopped short of calling for Noem’s resignation. He noted that he voted to confirm her appointment and said only that she would not be serving in Washington if he were president.
DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment, instead forwarding inquiries to the White House.
The criticism comes even as the federal government recently approved an additional $116 million in disaster relief funding for North Carolina. Federal officials say more than $1 billion has now been provided to the state, including $549 million in direct assistance to families through FEMA.
Noem has denied claims of delays or neglect, stating that North Carolina communities are “rebuilding stronger” and that her department is focused on speeding up recovery funds while cutting unnecessary red tape.
Still, Tillis’s comments signal growing unrest within Republican ranks, adding pressure on Noem as DHS faces scrutiny over both immigration enforcement and disaster response nationwide.
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