Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem clashed with CNN host Jake Tapper on Sunday, January 11, 2026, in a heated exchange over the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by an immigration enforcement officer.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and other Democratic officials have condemned the shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent on Wednesday as a reckless use of federal power, while the Trump administration has contended that Good attempted to run over the agent and the shooting was in self-defense.
During her appearance on CNN’s "State of the Union," Noem didn’t hold back, pointing out what she saw as media double standards, according to The Hill.
“I hadn't heard Tapper 'say once what a disservice it's done for Mayor Frey to get up and tell ICE to get the F out!'” Noem fired back, highlighting Frey’s inflammatory remarks after the shooting.
Video footage of the incident shows Good initially blocking a road with her SUV before ICE agents instructed her to move, followed by her reversing and an agent attempting to open her driver’s-side door.
Three shots were then fired, with a bullet hole visible in the windshield, leading to Good’s fatal crash at high speed.
Witnesses, including Good’s wife Rebecca, claim the couple was acting as legal observers filming a protest, disputing ICE’s assertion that Good used her vehicle as a weapon.
The Trump administration insists Good deliberately drove at agents, with President Donald Trump himself stating she “behaved horribly” during a Wednesday evening interview with the New York Times.
Yet, Mayor Frey dismissed ICE’s narrative as “bulls**t,” doubling down on his demand for federal agents to leave Minnesota with a pointed X post: “today is a good day for ICE to get out of Minnesota.”
Isn’t it curious how quickly some leaders jump to judgment without waiting for a full investigation, forgetting that there are necessarily grievous consequences to charging at an armed federal agent?
Online reactions are a mixed bag, with some praising Noem’s sharp retort to Tapper as a moment where she “just absolutely crushed” the host, while others, like X user @BigLee84, argue she deserves no peace in public spaces.
Democratic voices, including Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, have called for Noem to step down or face impeachment, accusing her team of spreading falsehoods.
Still, Noem stands firm, declaring ICE agents “are not going anywhere,” a stance that signals the administration’s resolve to back its enforcement policies despite local pushback—and perhaps a reminder that federal authority doesn’t bend easily to city hall tantrums.
