Vice president JD Vance has been mocked online after claiming that former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem had not been fired from her role, but rather handed a “great opportunity” to leave.
“A lot of people in the media said that the reason we made a change at DHS is because we are backing off of our illegal immigration policy. That couldn’t be further from the truth,” Vance said, speaking at an event Friday.
“The reason is because Kristi Noem has a great opportunity to serve in this Shield of Americas position.”
Donald Trump announced under fire Noem’s departure from the DHS on Truth Social earlier this month, moments before she was set to appear at a law enforcement convention in Nashville. She reportedly learned that she was being removed from the role just as she was set to go on stage.
The president also said that Noem would be named “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas,” which he described as “our new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere.”
Social media users appeared less than convinced by Vance’s claims. “This clown really expects us to believe Noem voluntarily left a cabinet position for a completely made up non-cabinet gig,” wrote one user.
“It’s obvious you don’t even believe the b******* you are spewing,” added another user, with a third branding Vance a “lying a******.”
A third added: “he was doing such an amazing job multiple US citizens were murdered under her watch and it was juuuust a coincidence that after she admitted Trump agreed to her $200 MILLION propaganda ads that she was moved to a new position. Right right right.”
During her 13-month tenure at the agency, Noem oversaw a number of controversial policies, including the pushing of Trump’s aggressive mass deportation agenda that has seen tens of thousands of immigrants removed from the U.S.
Protests of the crackdown in Minnesota led to two protesters being fatally shot by federal agents within two weeks of each other.
In addition, she also provoked outrage across the political aisle over multi-million dollar contracts that were handed out for a DHS ad campaign in which she was prominently featured. Noem testified to Congress that Trump had supported the campaign, only to have the president deny the fact one day later.
“I never knew anything about it,” the president told Reuters.
Noem is the first Cabinet member to be forced out of the administration since Trump returned to the White House last year.
“We all wish Kristi the best of luck in her new position as bus undercarriage inspector,” one social media user replied to a clip of Vance’s remarks.
