A White House official pushed back Monday on speculation about leadership changes at the Department of Homeland Security, stressing that Secretary Kristi Noem continues to have the full backing of President Donald Trump.
The clarification followed Trump's announcement that border czar Tom Homan would take charge of immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota.
Some observers interpreted the move as a shift away from Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino, whose tough enforcement posture was supported by Noem but drew criticism from opponents of stricter border policies.
"Secretary Noem will continue to lead the Department of Homeland Security with the full trust and confidence of the president," a White House official told CNN.
The official emphasized that Homan's deployment was driven by operational urgency, not internal disagreement.
"Tom Homan is uniquely positioned to drop everything and focus solely on Minnesota to solve the problems that have been created by a lack of cooperation from state and local officials," the official added.
Homan is widely known for prioritizing enforcement actions tied to public safety and national security, while addressing undocumented immigrants encountered during targeted operations.
That approach differs from the broader enforcement sweeps that have taken place in some major cities.
While Homan and Noem have differed at times on tactics and have not regularly communicated in recent months, according to U.S. officials, the White House made clear that the administration's overall immigration strategy remains unified under Trump's leadership.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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