Outside the Beltway

Outside the Beltway

“Kristi Noem” by Gage Skidmore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Noem to DHS

A pattern is emerging in Trump’s appointments.

Steven L. Taylor
19

Comments

“Kristi Noem” by Gage Skidmore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

With the news that Kristi Noem will be head of the Department of Homeland Security, the common thread through the appointments to date is loyalty to Trump.

While as a general matter being the governor of state (even one with a small population) is at least a minimal qualification for a cabinet position, this is a a pretty major one. This is triply so given Trump’s desire to engage in massive deportations.

This fits into #6 on list, in my view.

Noem is known, primarily, for her opposition to Covid restrictions and for killing her puppy because it wouldn’t behave.

19 responses to “Noem to DHS”

  1. gVOR10 Avatar
    gVOR10

    What do you mean unqualified? She’s shown complete obsequiousness to Trump. Plus, I’ve read that Trump dislikes dogs. And she bears a resemblance to Ivanka. She’s perfect for Trump.

    15
  2. Sleeping Dog Avatar
    Sleeping Dog

    Given that it has long been telegraphed that the key determinant of qualification would be fealty to trump, we should not be surprised. Of course the Senate will roll over on these appointments and even allow recess appointments, which is how he’s get some of the ugliest through.

    3
  3. al Ameda Avatar
    al Ameda

    She’s cold and cruel. There will be no compatibility issues. Perfect.

    5
  4. Jc Avatar
    Jc

    She governor of a state with a smaller population than nearby Fairfax County, VA. If she treats dog and goat lives with such disregard, how much different will she treat human beings? DHS now Department of Heartless Sycophants. I am sure loyal to the end, but as you noted, unqualified for the position. Strange appointment

    4
  5. CSK Avatar
    CSK

    @gVOR10:

    i’m surprised Noem hasn’t bleached her hair blonde.

    4
  6. Lucysfootball Avatar
    Lucysfootball

    Can the Democrats filibuster a cabinet appointment? If so, she should be filibustered. Unqualified, cruel, practices abuse of power (used her office to enable her daughter to get a real estate appraiser’s license). Those three attributes make her perfect for the Trump cabinet, but leave her totally unqualified to actually do the job.
    Besides, she doesn’t have enough time to take all illegal immigrants to the gravel pit.

    3
  7. CSK Avatar
    CSK

    The Daily Beast has a great headline: “Trump Hands Puppy Killer One of America’s Most Important Jobs.”

    9
  8. Scott Avatar
    Scott

    Plus she fooled around with Corey Lewandowski. That alone is indicative of her judgement. And maybe his.

    4
  9. Mike Schilling Avatar
    Mike Schilling

    the common thread through the appointments to date is loyalty to Trump.

    Shocking.

    3
  10. CSK Avatar
    CSK

    @Scott:

    As a woman, I will never, ever understand the appeal of that loathsome little toad.

    4
  11. just nutha Avatar
    just nutha

    Okay, maybe there was a choice worse than Steven Miller for DHS. I stand corrected.

    4
  12. Sleeping Dog Avatar
    Sleeping Dog

    @CSK:

    Because you’re not a loathsome toadette.

    1
  13. Michael Reynolds Avatar
    Michael Reynolds

    I assume with the office comes control of the No Fly list?

    ETA: BTW, I will wager that after his first full year in office, Trump will have deported fewer than 100,000 people, which will not keep pace with the influx of illegal immigrants.

    3
  14. Gustopher Avatar
    Gustopher

    I see nothing concerning about someone best known for cruelty to animals in a gravel pit being put in charge of agencies that will execute a mass deportation.

    2
  15. just nutha Avatar
    just nutha

    @Michael Reynolds: Congress is not going to agree to additional funding for immigration court– not even Republicans are going to agree–so,

    WELL DUH!

    1
  16. Rob1 Avatar
    Rob1

    Department of Homeland Security, eh?

    She’ll keep us safe from rowdy puppies.

    To Trump the victor, go the spoilt.

    Noem: “I hated that dog,” Noem writes, adding that Cricket had proved herself “untrainable”, “dangerous to anyone she came in contact with” and “less than worthless … as a hunting dog”.

  17. Bobert Avatar
    Bobert

    @Michael Reynolds: that maybe so, but he’ll have terrorized millions of otherwise good people.

    Cruelty is the objective.

    2
  18. Ken_L Avatar
    Ken_L

    @Lucysfootball:

    Can the Democrats filibuster a cabinet appointment?

    No. They can play a few games to slow down the confirmation, but that’s about it.

    Democrats and at least four Republicans can, however, refuse to confirm an appointment. I expect Joni Ernst, Lindsay Graham, Mitch McConnell, Mitt Romney and a few others have already let Trump know they will not vote to confirm Major Hegseth as Secretary of Defense.

  19. Matt Bernius Avatar
    Matt Bernius

    @Lucysfootball:

    Can the Democrats filibuster a cabinet appointment?

    Yes. The filibuster can be used to block cloture votes for top-level cabinet positions and other Level 1 executive appointments.

    As covered in the recess appointment post yesterday, lower positions can no longer be filibustered (only require a simple majority vote to end discussion).

    https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/96-548

    1

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