Senator Thom Tillis Delivers Scathing Critique of Trump Administration Officials
In a striking display of public frustration, Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, launched a blistering attack on two senior officials within President Donald Trump's administration on Tuesday. The senator's ire was directed at Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by U.S. Border Patrol agents over the weekend.
No Confidence in Homeland Security Leadership
When approached by reporters on Capitol Hill and asked if he maintained any confidence in Secretary Noem, Tillis responded with a blunt and unequivocal "None at all." He elaborated, "No. I've tried to maintain confidence." The senator's criticism was particularly focused on Noem's management of disaster relief efforts, which he described as severely lacking.
Tillis argued that the federal response to disasters was far more reliable during Trump's first term, before Noem's tenure, stating emphatically, "There's no comparison whatsoever." He highlighted what he perceived as her incompetence by recounting an incident where she allegedly advocated for eliminating FEMA and then fired a FEMA director who disagreed with that position within 24 hours.
"Now she understands that that is an important part of her job," Tillis remarked. "These are like amateurish assistant manager sort of thought processes — going into somebody who's a secretary in a Cabinet-level position. It's unacceptable."
Disaster Funds Stalled Under Noem's Directive
Internal FEMA documents reviewed by The New York Times reveal that approximately $17 billion in federal disaster funds remain undistributed to states in need. This delay is attributed to a directive issued by Noem last year, which requires her personal approval for any expense exceeding $100,000. Consequently, many state and local governments have been forced to cover disaster relief costs themselves, exacerbating financial strains.
Miller's Rhetoric and Incompetence Under Fire
Senator Tillis extended his criticism to Stephen Miller, a key architect of Trump's hardline immigration agenda. Miller initially echoed Noem's characterization of Pretti as a "terrorist" before significantly altering his stance. Tillis placed Miller "in the same boat" as Noem, citing his previous controversial comments about Greenland and his premature labeling of Pretti.
"This guy, after doing the stupid comments he made about Greenland — getting the president in a difficult circumstance — is one of the people that came out publicly and said that this guy was a terrorist before he'd even talked to anybody on the ground," Tillis asserted. "And that's clearly not the case now."
Miller has since publicly shifted his narrative, stating that the White House is "evaluating" why proper Border Patrol protocols may not have been followed. However, Tillis remained unimpressed, concluding, "Stephen Miller never fails to live up to my expectations of incompetence."
Context of the Border Patrol Incident
The controversy stems from an incident in Minneapolis on Saturday, where eyewitness videos appear to show Alex Pretti filming an interaction between two women and a federal agent. He was subsequently wrestled to the ground by multiple agents and disarmed. Approximately 10 rounds were fired, resulting in Pretti's death.
Secretary Noem refused to answer whether agents disarmed Pretti before shooting him, instead baselessly claiming he was attempting to "kill law enforcement" — despite evidence suggesting his lawfully carried gun remained in its holster until an agent removed it. Reports indicate that Noem has privately stated she was merely echoing Miller's rhetoric, further complicating the administration's response to the tragedy.
