Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem met with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Monday, two sources told ABC News, as the administration faces fallout over federal agent operations in Minnesota and the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti<\/a>.<\/p>\n Noem’s top adviser, Corey Lewandowski, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and White House communications director Steven Cheung were also present, according to sources.<\/p>\n White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, who had called Pretti a “domestic terrorist” without evidence, was not at the meeting, sources said.<\/p>\n Sources said the meeting lasted about two hours and came at the request of Noem. The White House declined to comment.<\/p>\n The New York Times was the first to report on the meeting.<\/p>\n Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem speaks during a news conference in the National Response Coordination Center at the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters, January 24, 2026 in Washington.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Al Drago\/Getty Images<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Much of the scrutiny inside the administration has been directed toward Noem over her initial response to the killing of Pretti, sources said. After Pretti was killed Saturday, Noem — like Miller — was quick to call him a “domestic terrorist” without evidence.<\/p>\n Asked by ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce if the president agreed with that characterization, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt distanced the president from those comments<\/a>.<\/p>\n “Look, as\u00a0I’ve\u00a0said, I have not heard\u00a0the president characterize Mr. Pretti\u00a0in that way,” Leavitt said during the White House press briefing on Monday. “However, I have heard\u00a0the president say he wants to let the facts in the investigation lead\u00a0itself.”<\/p>\n While sources said\u00a0<\/strong>Noem is expected to keep her job as of now, her focus is expected to shift to other priorities.<\/p>\n Trump, as he left the White House on Tuesday afternoon to travel to Iowa for an economic speech, told reporters that Noem would not be stepping down.<\/p>\n “I think she’s done a very good job. The border is totally secure,” Trump said.<\/p>\n But sources described a rift between Noem and Trump’s border czar Tom Homan — a frosty relationship that existed prior to the shooting in Minneapolis.<\/p>\n Assistant DHS Secretary\u00a0Tricia McLaughlin said Noem is \u201cvery happy\u201d Homan will be overseeing the actions on Minneapolis.<\/p>\n “Secretary Noem will continue to oversee the Department of Homeland Security, and she is very happy that Tom Homan, who is a great asset to the president, has a great depth of experience and insight, will be overseeing Minneapolis,\u201d\u00a0she said during an interview on Fox News Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n Homan was also at the White House on Monday before heading to Minnesota at the direction of Trump — bypassing the normal chain of command where Noem and Customs and Border Protection commander-at-large Greg Bovino had been overseeing ICE operations. Bovino is now returning to El Centro, California, to resume his duties as chief of that sector, multiple sources told ABC News<\/a>.<\/p>\n Trump said on Monday that Homan would report directly to him.<\/p>\n White House border czar Tom Homan listens to reporters during an interview, Jan. 14, 2026, in Washington.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Alex Brandon\/AP<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Minnesota’s Democratic Gov. Tim Walz met with Homan on Tuesday morning. The two spoke about a number of items, including a “significant reduction in the number of federal forces in Minnesota, and an end to the campaign of retribution against Minnesota,” according to the governor\u2019s office.<\/p>\n Trump said on Tuesday that Homan would also be meeting with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, also a Democrat.<\/p>\n “I hear that’s all going very well,” Trump said Tuesday.<\/p>\n The decision to send Homan into the state came as a relief to several Republicans on Capitol Hill who had personally reached out to the president and other White House officials directly about the response.\u00a0Criticism has grown<\/a> from congressional Republicans over the Pretti shooting and Minnesota ICE operation, with more than two dozen GOP lawmakers calling for a thorough investigation.<\/p>\n A person familiar with the planning said Homan will likely focus on more targeted immigration enforcement efforts.\u00a0<\/p>\n Noem and her top adviser, Lewandowski, have pushed for a harder line immigration approach including street sweeps.\u00a0Bovino rankled\u00a0some who felt his direct reporting to the Homeland Security secretary was problematic, and bypassed Rodney Scott, the chief of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, sources said.<\/p>\n “The President\u2019s entire immigration enforcement team — including Secretary Noem and Border Czar Homan — are on the same page. They are working together seamlessly to implement the President\u2019s agenda, protect the American people, and deport criminal illegal aliens,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement.<\/p>\n![\"Abigail](\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/b2769659-dd55-4b61-bb57-a3d94b976d31\/noem-1-gty-gmh-260127_1769519459811_hpMain.jpg?w=375 "\\"Abigail")
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>![\"Jacob](\"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/b450702c-64aa-4d54-8140-1aaeb0bb66b9\/tom-homan-2-ap-gmh-260127_1769523177929_hpMain.jpg?w=375 "\\"Jacob")
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