PoliticsDonald Trump Tosses Confusing Question to Kristi Noem in Embarrassing Moment
Both the president and Kristi Noem were unable to answer a reporter's question about suspending habeas corpus.
Oct. 9 2025, Published 1:23 p.m. ET
President Donald Trump appeared to not understand the meaning of “habeas corpus” while hosting an Antifa roundtable in the State Dining Room of the White House, leaving him to ask Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for assistance.
'Suspending Who?'
The president was unable to answer the reporter's question about habeas corpus.
A reporter asked the president about how he plans to tackle the anti-fascist movement, questioning him, “Have you given any more thought to possibly suspending habeas corpus to not only deal with these insurrectionists across the nation but also to continue rapidly deporting illegal aliens?”
Trump responded with confusion, “Suspending who?”
Kristi Noem Unable to Help the President Answer Question
Kristi Noem deflected the question after the president looked to her for assistance.
The reporter then reiterated their question about temporarily preventing one’s legal right of habeas corpus to crack down on the deportation of illegal immigrants, prompting the president to toss the misunderstood question to Noem.
“Oh, oh, I don’t know; I’d rather leave that to Kristi,” Trump said as Noem sat beside him.
“What do you think?” he asked her, resulting in the Homeland Security Secretary saying she had no information on the matter.
“Sir, I haven’t been a part of any discussions on that,” Noem firmly responded as Trump pursed his lips in disbelief.
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What Does Habeas Corpus Mean?
Habeas corpus may be suspended in the case of 'rebellion or invasion.'
According to the Federal Courts of the United States, habeas corpus is a Latin term meaning “you have the body.” It is a legal order that gives detainees the right to challenge their imprisonment by requiring the government to justify why an individual has been detained.
However, per Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution, habeas corpus may be prevented “when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.”
Kristi Noem Called Out for Not Knowing the Meaning of Habeas Corpus
Kristi Noem incorrectly defined the meaning of habeas corpus back in May.
Despite Noem being the one who was appointed to oversee the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), her inability to answer the question about deporting illegal aliens was no shock since she was also unable to understand the meaning of habeas corpus back in May.
At the time, Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan brought up the Latin term to Noem when she testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee about the department’s fiscal year 2026 budget request.
Noem was left looking clueless in a notable moment in her career after being unable to relay the definition of the legal term.
“Habeas corpus is a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country,” Noem said of her presumed meaning of the term. Hassan promptly responded, “That’s incorrect.”
