It has been another turbulent week in Minneapolis, where anti-ICE agitators have kept the pressure on federal law enforcement and shown no sign of easing their outrage over the deaths of demonstrators Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
Protests, harassment of agents, and escalating rhetoric have turned the Twin Cities into a national flashpoint, forcing the Trump administration to make visible adjustments while holding firm on its core personnel and policy decisions.
On Monday, President Donald Trump announced that border czar Tom Homan would take direct supervisory control over the situation in Minneapolis. At the same time, Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Greg Bovino would be leaving the city.
Reporter: “Is Kristi Noem going to step down?”
Trump: “No.” pic.twitter.com/WwUfgJFRUb
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) January 27, 2026
While critics immediately claimed Bovino had been fired, the administration pushed back, insisting he remains a “key part of the team” and that the move was part of a broader operational reshuffle rather than a punishment.
That clarification did little to satisfy activists and progressive politicians, many of whom have zeroed in on Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as their preferred scalp.
Calls for her firing have grown louder as unrest has continued, but those demands ran headlong into reality this week. Far from distancing himself, Trump spent nearly two hours meeting with Noem in the Oval Office on Monday night and emerged with a clear message: she isn’t going anywhere.
Asked directly by reporters whether Noem would step down, Trump offered a blunt, one-word answer: “No.” He followed that up by praising her performance, saying she is doing a “very good job,” particularly when it comes to border security.
🚨 BREAKING: President Trump just DOUBLED DOWN on his support for Kristi Noem, DHS, and mass deportations
“Kristi is doing a GREAT job. She’s fantastic. We’ve stopped the illegal border crossings – the numbers are the lowest they’ve been in DECADES!”
“She’s tough on… pic.twitter.com/Zjn0BZroeN
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) January 27, 2026
The president later expanded on that assessment, citing her role in building portions of the border wall and delivering tangible results on enforcement. “Why would I be unhappy?” Trump said. “She’s a STAR.”
According to reports, the Oval Office meeting included Noem, her top aide Corey Lewandowski, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, and Communications Director Steven Cheung.
The gathering underscored the administration’s determination to restore order while refocusing immigration enforcement in the wake of violent unrest and the fatal ICE-involved shooting that sparked the latest round of protests. Trump reportedly expressed confidence that Noem is handling a difficult situation appropriately, even as emotions remain raw on the ground in Minnesota.
