Politics'Why Didn't They Fire Her Right Away?': Fox News Host Laura Ingraham Asks Why Donald Trump Didn't Get Rid of Kristi Noem Sooner
Fox News host Laura Ingraham has staunchly defended fired DHS secretary Kristi Noem but wondered why Donald Trump didn't fire her sooner.
March 6 2026, Published 1:31 p.m. ET
During a segment on The Ingraham Angle, Fox News host Laura Ingraham questioned why President Donald Trump waited to remove Kristi Noem from her role as Secretary of Homeland Security despite mounting controversies.
"Why didn’t they fire her right away?” she asked on Thursday, March 5. “Because that would have given a scalp to those who were actually trying to hinder and impede ICE on the streets? Why drag this out?”
Ingraham's guest, former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, offered several reasons for the timing of the firing.
Donald Trump gave Kristi Noem the ax.
Fleischer noted that Trump is often hesitant to dismiss individuals perceived as on his side, particularly on his core policy issues like immigration.
He also postulated that the pricey TV ad taking center stage in a public hearing pushed Trump to finally give Noem the ax.
“Well, because I think the president is reluctant to let people go, and especially on his singular issue,” he said. “So, I think the advertisement piece we heard yesterday is also what tipped the president over. She was on thin ice after Minnesota.”
Kristi Noem is rumored to be having an affair with Corey Lewandowski.
Noem was the subject of harsh criticism for her handling of events in Minnesota, where two American citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were killed by federal immigration agents.
The former George W. Bush press secretary said there was a strategic concern that firing her earlier would have provided a political victory for critics who were actively trying to "hinder and impede" ICE operations.
The discussion followed Noem's testimony before Congress, where she faced questions about unauthorized expenditures and long-rumored personal controversies, including a rumored affair with her DHS colleague Corey Lewandowski.
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Laura Ingrahm often defended Kristi Noem before she got fired.
Before the firing, Ingraham often defended Noem against Democratic critics while also pressing her to take more aggressive action.
In January 2025, Ingraham repeatedly challenged Noem on Fox News, demanding to know if there would be personal repercussions for local officials who interfered with federal law enforcement.
Laura Ingraham is a staunch defender of the president.
In early 2026, Ingraham characterized Democratic threats to impeach Noem as "panic" and "desperate attacks," calling Noem a leader who stood for the rule of law.
The Fox host remains a staunch defender of the president, ignoring devastating polling for the president, saying Trump "will be remembered as the most significant president of the last 50 years" because he built a "new coalition" of voters after both parties had failed the middle class.
