Trump border czar Homan, DHS chief Noem barely speaking or meeting: ‘Her and Tom don’t get along’
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and President Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, have been on a very uneven footing because of a long‑standing feud that has become a cornerstone of the administration’s crackdown on immigration.
Even with their frosty relationship, a Thursday Axios report says neither of them faces any immediate risk of being fired.
Trump reportedly told an adviser, “Kristi’s doing a great job,” relaying later that he heard the conversation. “Her and Tom don’t get along, but they’re doing great.”
“Trump is like that,” the adviser explained. “He kind of likes people competing against each other. He thinks it makes the product better.”
Another White House adviser, who is less fond of Noem, was direct: “He’s happy with his Cabinet. Do I wish Kristi was gone? Absolutely. But that ain’t happening. At least, not that he’ll tell me.”
The origins of the split between Noem, 54, and Homan, 64, aren’t clear. Axios has alleged that career immigration officials have taken offense to Noem’s style of running DHS—including front‑end ads that promote programs such as the CBP Home Self‑Deportation app.
Staffers have also taken issue with the heavy influence wielded by Noem’s chief adviser and de facto chief of staff, former Trump campaign operative Corey Lewandowski, who is a special government employee and is limited to 130 days in the position.
Noem’s allies have labeled Homan a self‑promoter, pointing to his frequent Fox News appearances and the way he mingles with White House reporters outside the Executive Mansion.
In October, Fox News reported that Noem, Lewandowski, and Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino pushed for indiscriminate roundups of undocumented aliens to raise deportation numbers. Homan, together with acting ICE director Todd Lyons, favored a focus on people with criminal records.
A senior DHS official told Fox in October, “ICE started off with the worst of the worst, knowing every target they are hitting, but since Border Patrol came to LA in June, we’ve lost our focus, going too hard, too fast, with limited prioritization. It’s getting numbers, but at what cost?” Another official added, “ICE is arresting criminal aliens. They [Border Patrol] are hitting Home Depots and car washes.”
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