Tillis presented comparative charts of FEMA disaster response between the Trump administrations, arguing Noem’s department has fallen short with Helene recovery.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. โ Sen. Thom Tillis delivered a sharp rebuke of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, accusing her of leadership failures and threatening to block Senate nominations if she does not answer his outstanding questions.
Tillis, a North Carolina Republican who has positioned himself as a staunch law enforcement ally, opened by acknowledging the border crisis inherited from the Biden administration before turning his fire on Noem.
“We’re missing an opportunity,” Tillis said, criticizing the administration’s focus on deportation numbers over targeting dangerous individuals. “Quality matters, not quantity โ and what we’ve seen is a disaster under your leadership, Ms. Noem, a disaster.”
The senator presented comparative charts of FEMA disaster response between the Trump administrations, arguing Noem’s department has fallen short for storm-ravaged communities, including in his home state.ย
“People are hurting in western North Carolina from the most significant storm they’ve ever experienced,” Tillis said, adding he believes Noem may be violating the 2002 Homeland Security Act by obstructing FEMA reimbursements.
Tillis also raised the Minneapolis shooting incident, questioning whether law enforcement protocols were properly followed, and criticized Noem for initially resisting a DOJ civil rights investigation.
Noem briefly attempted to respond to the FEMA funding threshold issue, but Tillis cut her off, saying he was delivering a “performance evaluation.”
He closed by calling for her resignation and issuing a warning for the remainder of his term:
“As of today, I’ll be informing leadership that I’m putting a hold on any en bloc nominations until I get a response,” Tillis said.
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