President Donald Trump has nominated Mike Waltz to serve as the ambassador to the United Nations, Fox News reported. The president removed Waltz from an advisory role on the National Security Council following the Signal debacle.
Trump took to his Truth Social on Thursday to announce the switch. "I am pleased to announce that I will be nominating Mike Waltz to be the next United States Ambassador to the United Nations," Trump said in his post.
"From his time in uniform on the battlefield, in Congress and, as my National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz has worked hard to put our Nation’s Interests first. I know he will do the same in his new role," Trump added.
"In the interim, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as National Security Advisor, while continuing his strong leadership at the State Department. Together, we will continue to fight tirelessly to Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Trump wrote.
Trump seamlessly made the switch on the same day for Waltz, who posted Trump's statement captioned with a message of his regards. "I'm deeply honored to continue my service to President Trump and our great nation," Waltz wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday.
I’m deeply honored to continue my service to President Trump and our great nation. pic.twitter.com/FFTPjnIYkI
— Mike Waltz (@MikeWaltz47) May 1, 2025
Waltz was rumored to be on the outs after a group chat in Signal accidentally included The Atlantic's editor-in-chief. High-ranking administration officials, including Vice President J.D. Vance, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, were also on the chat.
According to USA Today, when the news broke, Waltz quickly took "full responsibility" for the "embarrassing" fiasco during an appearance on Fox News with Laura Ingraham. "We're going to get to the bottom of it," Waltz told the host.
Because the leak was a discussion about a forthcoming military attack, many believed heads would have to roll. However, the administration has continually downplayed the nature of the chat while Trump continues to back his officials, including Waltz.
Although this is undoubtedly a vote of confidence for Waltz, Trump's pick is also a result of limited options. With the margins in Congress so tight, Trump was forced to back down from one of his key choices in New York GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik.
After originally nominating her in November, Stefanik withdrew her name over concerns about the balance of power. "It was a combination of the New York corruption that we're seeing under Kathy Hochul, special elections, and the House margin," Stefanik explained.
"I've been in the House. It's tough to count these votes every day. And we are going to continue to defy the political prognosticators and deliver, deliver victory on behalf of President Trump and, importantly, the voters across this country," Stefanik promised in March during an appearance on Fox News' Hannity.
"The president knows that. He and I had multiple conversations today, and we are committed to delivering results on behalf of the American people. And as always, I'm committed to delivering results on behalf of my constituents," she added.
The second Trump administration is experiencing growing pains, but Trump is loyal to the people who support him. Waltz will serve honorably in his new role, while those who wanted him out at his original post are also appeased.
Two Republicans voted against a popular bill that criminalizes revenge porn on Monday, the Daily Caller reported. The Take It Down Act, which is supported by first lady Melania Trump, received over 400 votes.
The Senate already passed the bill earlier this year, so the legislation will now go before President Donald Trump for a signature. Reps. Eric Burlison of Missouri and Thomas Massie of Kentucky were the only House Republicans to vote against it, which likely blindsided the first lady.
Burlison has not spoken about his vote, but Massie posted to X, formerly Twitter, to explain his opposition. "Tonight we’re voting on the 'TAKE IT DOWN Act,' a bill that would impose federal criminal and civil penalties for publishing unauthorized intimate pictures generated with AI. I’m voting NO because I feel this is a slippery slope, ripe for abuse, with unintended consequences," Massie wrote.
Tonight we’re voting on the “TAKE IT DOWN Act,” a bill that would impose federal criminal and civil penalties for publishing unauthorized intimate pictures generated with AI.
I’m voting NO because I feel this is a slippery slope, ripe for abuse, with unintended consequences. pic.twitter.com/i3XhWTibP8
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) April 28, 2025
The bill is meant to discourage nonconsensual posting of nude images, including those created by artificial intelligence or so-called "deepfakes." It requires platforms to take down flagged images within 48 hours at the request of the potential victims.
It fits nicely with Melania Trump's work in her Be Best Initiative, which was started during her husband's first term in office. The stated mission has three priorities, including "well-being, online safety, and opioid abuse."
The first lady, who usually keeps to the background, spoke to Newsweek to champion the bill's success. "Today’s bipartisan passage of the Take It Down Act is a powerful statement that we stand united in protecting the dignity, privacy, and safety of our children," Melania Trump said.
She also took to X to share her support, according to Fox News. "Advancing this legislation has been a key focus since I returned to my role as First Lady this past January," she wrote.
"I am honored to have contributed to guiding it through Congress. By safeguarding children from hurtful online behavior today, we take a vital step in nurturing our leaders of tomorrow. #BeBest," Melania Trump added.
Besides Massie, other advocacy groups are warning that the legislation has some problems. The Center for Democracy & Technology issued a letter in February after the Senate bill passed, urging lawmakers to consider the pitfalls.
"In its current form, the bill creates a notice and takedown (NTD) mechanism that would result in the removal of not just nonconsensual intimate imagery but also speech that is neither illegal nor actually NDII. This mechanism is likely unconstitutional and will undoubtedly have a censorious impact on users' free expression," the Feb. 12 letter stated.
It went on to explain other considerations, such as encrypted communications, that would create a burden on tech companies. "The TAKE IT DOWN Act, therefore, either would create an obligation to take down content to which a provider has no access — an impossible obligation — or incentivize content filtering that would break encryption," it said.
However, nonconsensual pornography is likely to become a massive problem with the proliferation of AI and the ease of digital sharing. These victims deserve swift action, especially when it comes to minors and victims of abuse.
Pornography in any form is a great scourge on humanity, but the added layer of it being spread without the person's consent is ghastly. This bill is a step in the right direction and should be lauded as a win regardless of the overblown concerns.
President Donald Trump's administration has revoked some 4,000 student visas primarily from those with criminal records, the New York Post reported in an exclusive. Some 90% were charged with a crime, including at least 500 who were accused of assault.
The other crimes included domestic abuse, DUI, child endangerment, wildlife and human trafficking, arson, and robbery. "They came and they were breaking the law with no consequences," a source told the Post.
"We set up a special action team to handle this," the source added. The State Department and the Department of Homeland Security cross-checked criminal records to target only the most "serious" offenders.
"There were cases like where it was not a serious thing, like littering, or somebody had charges that were dropped, where we didn’t revoke those. Because it should be a serious matter," the source explained.
The administration has been going full steam ahead to address immigration problems in Trump's first 100 days. "Perhaps in the future other visa categories, not just students, will be looked at," the source promised.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has committed to Trump's "zero tolerance" policy for those on student visas who sided with pro-Palestine protestors. "No one’s entitled to a student visa," Rubio noted during a cabinet meeting.
"If you come to this country as a student, we expect you to go to class, study, and get a degree. If you come here to vandalize a library, take over a campus, and do all kinds of crazy things, we’re going to get rid of these people," Rubio added.
Notices were sent out to the impacted students who were largely from nations in the Middle East and Asia. Already, several students have self-deported after the State Department removed their legal status, while others could face immigration authorities.
Trump made fixing immigration one of his campaign promises, and he is clearly intent on keeping it. While some are crying foul over these moves, the State Department emphasizes that this is all part of its routine responsibilities.
When Fox News Digital reached out for comment, a spokesperson for the State Department said it "revokes visas every day in order to secure America's borders and keep our communities safe – and will continue to do so." The spokesperson stated that they do not track statistics on revoking student visas.
However, this aspect is important to the safety of the U.S. "The Trump Administration is focused on protecting our nation and our citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process," the spokesperson said.
"Every prospective traveler to the United States undergoes interagency security vetting. Prohibiting entry to the United States by those who might pose a threat to U.S. national security or public safety is key to protecting U.S. citizens at home," the spokesperson explained.
"The Department of State will continue to work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to enforce zero tolerance for aliens in the United States who violate U.S. laws, threaten public safety, or in other situations where warranted," the person added. This is a far cry from how his predecessor viewed illegal immigration, but that's exactly the aim.
Trump is doing precisely what he was elected to do when it comes to closing the borders and kicking out criminals. People who are not citizens don't have the same rights as Americans, and student visas are just another privilege that can and should be withdrawn any time there is a crime.
New York Knicks basketball legend Dick Barnett died over the weekend in his sleep at an assisted living facility in Florida, according to the New York Post.
The Knicks announced Barnett's death on Monday.
He played in the NBA for 14 seasons and was traded to the Knicks by the Lakers in 1965. During his eight seasons with the Knicks, he led them to two championships in 1970 and 1973.
He averaged 21 points a game with the Knicks and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024.
Barnett got the nickname "Fallback Baby" for his unique jump shot, during which he kicked his feet up and back, then fell back a little bit on the way down.
Examples of what it looked like are shown in the video below.
Another unique thing about Barnett was that he was a lefty.
“He’s one of the architects who built the legacy of what the Knicks were about,” his successor Earl Monroe said. “No one can ever forget that.”
“Dick was one of the leaders of that team,” teammate Phil Jackson said. “I really thought he held a big piece of our success in the late ’60s and early ’70s.”
“He’s got one of the best basketball minds of any player I’ve ever known,” Eddie Donovan, the Knicks general manager who acquired Barnett from the Lakers, said. “Everything he does is for a purpose.”
After retiring from basketball, Barnett authored multiple books, earned a doctorate from Fordham University, and taught sports management at St. John’s.
He credited an Achilles tendon injury early in his career with causing him to focus on his studies and get his degree, just in case he couldn't keep playing ball.
“Dreams really do come true,” he told the MSG Network in 2020. “Life is a continuum. Just because I achieved this goal doesn’t mean I’m through. There are other goals."
With national security-related leaks becoming a subject of significant concern in recent weeks, the Department of Justice is now taking steps to ensure a thorough investigation and potential legal consequences for those responsible.
As NPR reports, it was revealed on Friday that Attorney General Pam Bondi rescinded Biden-era protections for journalists who hide records or decline testimony related to individuals who are the subjects of criminal probes, a move sure to please President Donald Trump, who has routinely faced fallout from internal leaks.
The change in policy was outlined in a memo from Bondi dated Friday, a communication in which the AG noted, “Safeguarding classified, privileged, and other sensitive information is essential to effective governance and law enforcement.”
Bondi continued, “Federal government employees intentionally leaking sensitive information to the media undermines the ability of the Department of Justice to uphold the rule of law, protect civil rights, and keep America safe.”
“This conduct is illegal and wrong, and it must stop,” Bondi emphatically declared.
The AG then stated, “Therefore, I have concluded that it is necessary to rescind [former Attorney General] Merrick Garland's policies precluding the Department of Justice from seeking records and compelling testimony from members of the news media in order to identify and punish the source of improper leaks.”
Notably, Bondi emphasized that “it is a bedrock principle that a free and independent press is vital to the functioning of our democracy” and assured that the “Department of Justice will defend that principle, despite the lack of independence of certain members of the legacy news media,” adding her recognition that “investigative techniques related to newsgathering are an extraordinary measure to be deployed as a last resort when essential to a successful investigation or prosecution.”
As detailed in Bondi's memo, a host of adjustments to Biden-era policies are now poised for implementation, including a requirement that news media “must answer subpoenas” when they are authorized at the appropriate level at the DOJ.
“Specifically, the policy contemplates the use of subpoenas, court orders, and search warrants to compel production of information and testimony by and relating to members of the news media,” the AG noted.
With that said, Bondi added, “Members of the news media are presumptively entitled to advance notice of such investigative activities, subpoenas are to be narrowly drawn, and warrants must include protocols designed to limit the scope of intrusion into potentially protected materials or newsgathering activities.”
In assessing whether the aforementioned techniques are advisable in a given case, the AG will examine factors such as the existence of reasonable grounds to believe a crime has been committed and that the information at issue is crucial to the prosecution and whether prosecutors have made all reasonable efforts to secure the information at issue via alternative means.
Further, the AG will assess “whether, absent a threat to national security, the integrity of the investigation, or bodily harm, the government has pursued negotiations with the affected member of the news media.”
Amid Friday's announcement, Bruce Brown, who leads the Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press underscored his belief that reporter protections are vital not just for members of the media but for the entire American public, saying, “Some of the most consequential reporting in U.S. history -- from Watergate to warrantless wiretapping after 9/11 -- was and continues to be made possible because reporters have been able to protect the identities of confidential sources and uncover and report stories that matter to people across the political spectrum.”
Then, striking a slightly more defiant tone, Brown added, “We'll wait to see what the policy looks like, but we know reporters will still do their jobs, and there is not shortage of legal support to back them up,” seemingly hinting at potential battles ahead with Bondi's DOJ.
Former Rep. George Santos has been sentenced to seven years in prison for identity theft and wire fraud, The Guardian reported. The disgraced New York Republican sobbed when his sentence was read and claimed he was "humbled."
The 36-year-old emerged as a pathological liar during his congressional campaign and in the only year he ever served. Last summer, he threw himself at the mercy of the Long Island court when he pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and federal wire fraud.
"I offer my deepest apologies. I cannot rewrite the past, but I can control the road ahead," Santos said.
U.S. District Court Judge Joanna Seybert was unimpressed. "Where is your remorse? Where do I see it?" Seybert said. She chided Santos for demonstrating that he feels "it’s always someone else’s fault" when sentencing him to 87 months behind bars.
During proceedings, Santos admitted to stealing identities to funnel money to his campaign, including from his family members. The openly gay politician spent that money on the pornography site OnlyFans, Botox treatments, luxury vacations, and other high-ticket items.
Santos was a notorious liar, and prosecutors said his guilty plea was a rare instance of him telling the truth. "For what may seem like the first time since he started his campaign for Congress, Mr Santos told the truth about his criminal schemes," Breon Peace, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a statement.
"He admitted to lying, stealing, and conning people. By pleading guilty, Mr Santos has acknowledged that he repeatedly defrauded federal and state government institutions as well as his own family, supporters, and constituents," Peace added.
"His flagrant and disgraceful conduct has been exposed and will be punished. Mr Santos’s conviction demonstrates this office’s enduring commitment to rooting out corruption and grift by public officials," Peace said.
Santos took to social media to complain about his prosecution, saying he was a "scapegoat" that was being pursued by the "cabal of pedophiles" in the Department of Justice. Besides time in prison, Santos will pay $373,749.97 in restitution and forfeit $205,002.97.
It seems Santos was unable to tell the truth about anything in his public life. He lied about attending New York University. According to CNN, he claimed he was "half Jewish" and that he was a "Latino Jew" when speaking to the media.
He said that his grandparents became Catholic to escape the Nazi invasion in Belgium after already surviving Joseph Stalin's regime in the Soviet Union. Alternatively, he also claimed that his Ukrainian maternal grandfather emigrated to Brazil during the Nazi regime.
However, there was never any proof of any of this in the genealogy records, even his alleged Jewish heritage. Santos also claimed that his mother died "a few years after" 9/11, after surviving the attacks, ABC News reported.
Santos said that she "was in her office in the South Tower on September 11, 2001, when the horrific events of that day unfolded." Unfortunately for him, there are records show that show his mother wasn't even in New York at the time of the attacks.
Regardless of political party, Santos is a disgrace for his lies and crimes. Although some believe seven years is excessive, the sentencing is well within the bounds of the law for a man who so flagrantly commits such misdeeds.
A federal judge granted the President's Department of Justice a delay in the deportation case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia on Wednesday, according to the Washington Examiner. Judge Paula Xinis has given the government another week to gather information, but her full opinion is under seal.
This astonishing move came just a day after Xinis chided the Trump administration for dragging its feet on turning over information about his deportation. The Department of Justice now has until April 30 to furnish the details about Abrego Garcia's deportation.
A legal battle ensued after reports surfaced that Abrego Garcia's return to El Salvador was a mistake. In 2019, an immigration judge gave illegal immigrant Abrego Garcia relief from deportation, though the case was deemed a "close call."
However, the details of that order are not fully known, though attorneys for Abrego Garcia believe that a clerical error led to deportation. Meanwhile, the case has become a cause célèbre for people on both sides of the immigration debate.
Abrego Garcia was previously identified as a member of the dangerous MS-13 gang. He was sent to El Salvador's notorious CECOT prison as some stateside have sought to bring him back to the U.S.
Officials from agencies such as Homeland Security and the State Department have argued that Salvadoran authorities have no interest in returning him, including President Nayib Bukele. Still, his case is making its way through American courts.
Xinis, an Obama appointee, was not previously friendly to the Trump administration's requests until Wednesday. In fact, as Fox News reported, she was quite contentious in the proceedings just the day before. The judge has claimed that the administration is acting in "bad faith" and intentionally holding up the legal process.
"That ends now. For weeks, defendants have sought refuge behind vague and unsubstantiated assertions of privilege, using them as a shield to obstruct discovery and evade compliance with this Court's orders," Xinis said in her eight-page order on Tuesday.
"Defendants have known, at least since last week, that this court requires specific legal and factual showings to support any claim of privilege. Yet they have continued to rely on boilerplate assertions," the judge previously said.
While the Trump administration is celebrating this small but significant victory, Democrats continue to use Abrego Garcia to advance their anti-Trump agenda. They have been falling all over themselves to make him into a hero of the left, but it could be a mistake.
According to a New York Post report, Abrego Garcia's criminal history suggests he may not be the saint the left is making him out to be. Besides being a suspected gang member, Abrego Garcia was also implicated in a domestic violence case against his wife and was caught up in a "human trafficking incident," but was ultimately let go.
Democrats are starting to realize that it may be a political miscalculation to go all in on advocacy for him. Some progressives are pointing out that this is a mere distraction from Trump's supposed other problems, while others realize this isn't the slam dunk they wanted.
"We need to step back and wait for someone to be deported who has a really compelling story that’s devastating that Average Joe’s upset about. That person hasn’t presented themselves yet, and Democrats are battling their better instincts and not just hop at the first sign of injustice," one Democratic operative told The Hill.
There are enough signals that Abrego Garcia is a problematic person to have in the country. While the courts sort out whether his deportation was appropriate, the issue is flushing out the Democrats who will defend suspected criminals at all costs.
Leftist Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky will likely retire at the end of May after 14 terms, Breitbart reported. The 80-year-old was first elected to represent the people of the 9th congressional district of Illinois in 1999.
"I’m going to announce my plans on May 5th. Stay tuned," Schakowsky initially said about her decision to retire rather than seek reelection in 2026. In a later post on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday, Schakowsky hinted at this eventuality.
"I have not made a decision about my plans for re-election - I will make that decision in the coming weeks and announce on May 5," Schakowsky wrote. Her post to social media came after Politico broke the news.
I have not made a decision about my plans for re-election - I will make that decision in the coming weeks and announce on May 5.
— Jan Schakowsky (@RepSchakowsky) April 23, 2025
With her departure, Schakowsky leaves behind a legacy of leftism befitting of an Illinois liberal. She won her seat after a three-way primary for the Democrats in 1998, where she beat out J.B. Pritzker, who is the state's current governor.
During the 2009 debate over Obamacare, Schakowsky proclaimed that it would "put the private health insurance industry out of business." She meant this is a positive, of course, saying the quiet part out loud as many others were attempting to hide that aim.
Then, despite her position in a heavily Jewish district, Schakowsky has joined with her fellow leftists in aligning against Israel. She was among the 77 Democratic lawmakers in Congress who supported an embargo on Israel last year.
Most recently, Schakowsky offered a ridiculous explanation for the "low number" of women in the manufacturing industry. "I'm just wondering if just the name manufacturing sounds like a guy," Schakowsky conjectured.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D) suggests that the reason more women don't go into manufacturing is because "the name manufacturing sounds like a guy."pic.twitter.com/l0dndiAmIY
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 13, 2025
It seems that Schakowsky's impending retirement is part of a growing trend among Democrats in Illinois and nationwide that has the party panicking. Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin has also announced he would retire after almost 40 years in the U.S. Senate, Fox News reported.
The Illinois Democrat is one of several elderly lawmakers exiting in what the network is calling the "Biden effect." It primarily impacts Democrats, who were burned in the 2024 presidential election by Biden's decision to stay in the race despite his obvious age-related issues.
"This is fallout from the 'Biden Effect.' It contaminated old Democrats," Rutgers University political scientist Ross Baker said. Several elderly politicians announced they would not seek reelection before Biden dropped out in July, but the party continues to lose incumbents.
Meanwhile, Durbin is facing a challenge from 59-year-old Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, and Schakowsky's rival is influencer Kat Abughazaleh, who is just 26 years old. This is a clear sign that voters are ready for younger candidates to replace these Washington, D.C., mainstays.
The Democratic Party is still in shambles after the 2024 election, which demonstrated how out of touch they are with voters. Replacing these dinosaurs with younger candidates may help, but the American people are tired of the policies as much as they are of the people.
A federal judge blocked President Donald Trump's administration from defunding Voice of America, The Hill reported. Trump previously signed an executive order closing the federally funded news outlet's parent agency, the U.S. Agency for Global Media.
U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ordered USAGM to rehire employees previously dismissed from VOA, Radio Free Asia, and Middle East Broadcasting Network. The judge said that the agency must not stop the "consistently reliable and authoritative" new outlets from operating.
The cuts at the agency came courtesy of former Arizona GOP gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake. She was charged with slashing "waste, fraud, and abuse running rampant" at the government agency.
The Department of Justice argued that staff cuts are "adverse employment actions" that warrant only monetary compensation, rather than an injunction. Lamberth disagreed, stating that her USAGM's actions threaten the "very existence" of the news outlets.
In Tuesday's decision, Lamberth made the case for propping up USAGM. The judge claims that the cuts were "immediate and drastic" and made "without considering its statutorily or constitutionally required functions as required by the plain language of the EO, and without regard to the harm inflicted on employees, contractors, journalists, and media consumers around the world," Lamberth wrote.
"It is hard to fathom a more straightforward display of arbitrary and capricious actions than the Defendants’ actions here," he added. VOA was put on the chopping block as part of the executive order to shut down USAGM.
Following the order, contractors and employees of USAGM were placed on administrative leave. In response to this move, affiliated labor unions, reporters, and the activist group Reporters Without Borders filed a lawsuit against the administration.
They requested additional funding for VOA and other networks under USAGM, including Radio Free Asia, Open Technology Fund, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. It claimed these were essential organizations and that dispensing with them would undermine the interests of the U.S.
"In many parts of the world, a crucial source of objective news is gone, and only censored state-sponsored news media is left to fill the void. The second Trump administration has taken a chainsaw to the agency as a whole in an attempt to shutter it completely," the lawsuit stated, according to Fox News.
The USAGM was just another in a target-rich environment of wasteful government programs. As one of Trump's first orders of business, he created the Department of Government Efficiency to trim the fat across the board.
Besides the waste, the administration believed the news organization served as a mouthpiece against Trump, backed by taxpayer dollars. "Voice of America has been out of step with America for years," a senior White House official said.
"It serves as the Voice for Radical America and has pushed divisive propaganda for years now," the official added. The Associated Press noted that the VOA was established to counter enemy propaganda during World War II and has long been lauded as a necessary entity.
While it's true that it is created through statute for an important purpose years ago, it does not diminish the fact that it has a liberal bent today. Even without that fact, there is a glut of news outlets that already exist that will further the interests of the U.S.
This move by the judge is another way to thwart the Trump agenda and its effort to cut government spending. However, the checks and balances afforded by the courts are an essential part of keeping the government balanced, and sometimes that means stopping the president from fulfilling his agenda.
A purse snatcher allegedly made off with $3,000 cash and other personal items belonging to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Fox News reported. A masked man stole Noem's bag Sunday night, which included the money, her driver's license, keys, passport, blank checks, and DHS badge.
The alleged crime happened as Noem dined with her family in a Washington, D.C., restaurant on Easter Sunday. The city is known for its theft problem, even as violent crime hit a historic low last year.
A spokesperson claimed the dinner and other holiday-related expenses explained the large sum of cash in her bag. "Her entire family was in town, including her children and grandchildren – she was using the withdrawal to treat her family to dinner, activities, and Easter gifts," the spokesperson said.
Still, it's unclear how this crime occurred, as Noem has a Secret Service detail. The investigation is ongoing, but so far, there are more questions than answers.
Committing burglary against a high-ranking government official shows a severe lack of security in the nation's capital. President Donald Trump was already urging Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser to do something about the problems, including homeless encampments and other crimes.
Trump said that the city should be "the pride of every American to who it belongs" but that Bowers and other politicians need to beef up law enforcement. "Washington, D.C., must become CLEAN and SAFE again!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social account last month.
"We need our Great Police back on the street, with no excuses from the Mayor, or anyone else. The House should take up the D.C. funding 'fix' that the Senate has passed, and get it done IMMEDIATELY," Trump urged.
"We need to clean up our once beautiful Capital City, and make it beautiful again. We will be TOUGH ON CRIME, like never before," the president added.
"I will work with the Mayor on this and, if it does not happen, will have no choice but to do it myself. Washington, D.C., will be better, safer, and more beautiful than ever before!" Trump wrote.
Still, Trump's call to arms didn't come soon enough for Noem. According to CNN, the fact that a white mask-wearing man could take her things raises serious concerns, the network's law enforcement analyst, Jonathan Wackrow, said.
“This is a security breach that actually has high consequences, and it needs immediate and further review by the Secret Service, DHS, and other law enforcement partners. If necessary, the Secret Service will need to make operational changes on how they deal with these types of private events moving forward," Wackrow told Kaitlan Collins on The Source.
The former Secret Service agent pointed out that Noem is "at higher risk for targeted threats, both by foreign and domestic actors, and just her public profile alone makes her a symbolic target." Meanwhile, one user on X, formerly Twitter, likened the Secret Service's failure to an excuse made about why it also failed to secure the roof where a would-be assassin perched to fire at Trump during a July rally.
Apparently, @KristiNoem’s Secret Service detail couldn’t protect her purse b/c she left it on a gently sloping table. pic.twitter.com/I8j2tOWacd
— Jason “Storm Chaser” Nelson (@RealJasonNelson) April 22, 2025
How this thief managed to get past the Secret Service and take her personal items is certainly puzzling. There seems to be more to this story than a simple purse snatching, but so far there has been no additional information provided.