Politics'BYE GIRL': Gavin Newsom Mocks Kristi Noem After She Gets Fired
California Governor Gavin Newsom savagely trolled fired DHS Secretary Kristi Noem at a sold-out book tour in New Hampshire.
March 6 2026, Published 12:28 p.m. ET
California Gov. Gavin Newsom publicly celebrated President Donald Trump's firing of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after months of clashes over immigration enforcement and National Guard deployments in California.
The comments came following the shocking firing on Thursday, March 5, at a sold-out book tour stop in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where the 58-year-old governor was promoting his memoir, Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery, released in February.
Immediately following Noem's axing, the social media-savvy governor posted a snarky “BYE GIRL!” reaction on X and declared that the president, a frequent foil of his, is “in retreat."
Gavin Newsom mocked Kristi Noem's recent firing.
The governor cited the firing as evidence of a weakening administration, asserting that Noem's ouster signals the administration is caving to intensified public and political opposition.
He also emphasized that although Noem led many policies, the president’s controversial deputy, Stephen Miller, is the "dark heart of the administration," and called for Miller’s firing for his influence on the 2025 National Guard deployment to Democratic states, including his own.
"I don't know what his motivations are, but the one thing all his actions have in common is cruelty," Newsom said of Miller.
Gavin Newsom teared into Kristi Noem's exit with an 'In Memoriam' video.
Newsom's team mocked Noem's exit with an "In Memoriam" video set to Sarah McLachlan's "I Will Remember You," a savage nod to the use of the singer's other hit "Angel" in ASPCA animal cruelty commercials, referencing Noem’s admission to shooting her own dog, Cricket.
His press team shared an AI-generated image of Noem in a “MAGA Unemployment Line” and an image of a puppy holding a newspaper with the headline “Trump Fires Kristi Noem,” captioned “Justice for Cricket.”
Newsom labeled Noem incompetent and demanded accountability for "terrorizing" Americans.
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Gavin Newsom called Kristi Noem 'incompetent.'
"She will go down as the most shamelessly incompetent and cruel Homeland Security Secretary in U.S. history,” he said.
In August 2025, Newsom’s press team dubbed Noem "Kowgirl Kristi," a slight against her penchant for wearing cowboy hats on her DHS missions, warning that she would "ride into America's nightmares" after she made critical comments about California.
Newsom has also referred to her as "ICE Barbie," another mocking moniker coined in reference to Noem's frequent "cosplay" photo ops in different tactical getups while visiting Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities.
Other Democratic governors, JB Pritzker of Illinois and Tim Walz of Minnesota, echoed Newsom’s "good riddance" and pointed to Noem's "corruption and chaos."
Gavin Newsom hinted at running for president in 2028.
Though officially on a book tour, Newsom’s appearance in early-primary New Hampshire and his pointed criticism of Trump appear to position him for a potential 2028 presidential run.
During the March 5 event, which followed the day’s online reactions, Newsom was interviewed by Gen Z progressive commentator Jack Cocchiarella and discussed his evolving confrontational stance toward the Trump administration.
The $48 ticket price for the event included a copy of his book, a nod to his aspirations to become the 48th president.
