The 23 worst sentences from the Wall Street Journal's bombshell Kristi Noem story 😲 💣

O.M.G.

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WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 15: U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem talks to reporters outside the West Wing following a television interview at the White House on January 15, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

On Friday morning, the Wall Street Journal’s political staff published a story with this headline: “A Pilot Fired Over Kristi Noem’s Missing Blanket and the Constant Chaos Inside DHS.”

The story is a masterwork of reporting and one, in any normal administration, that would lead to Noem’s immediate firing.

This, obviously, is not a normal administration. And Donald Trump has said publicly —in recent weeks — that he has complete confidence in Noem’s ability to lead the Department of Homeland Security.

But, minds change! And it’s impossible for me to read the WSJ story and not think that if Trump himself reads it, it could well impact his, er, confidence in Noem.

You should absolutely read the entire Journal story. But, in the event you don’t have the time (or a Journal subscription!), below I have pulled out the sentences that made me say “WOW.” I’ve also added some context where it’s relevant!

1. “Noem’s top adviser, Corey Lewandowski, messaged Trump’s pollster with a request: They needed to cut an ad to help her, according to two people familiar with the episode. The pollster, Tony Fabrizio, who worked on Trump’s 2024 re-election campaign, ignored the entreaty, the people said.”

OOMPH. The context: Lewandowski sent this request to Fabrizio two days after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis — when it had become crystal clear that Noem (and DHS more broadly) had a major problem. That Fabrizio ignored Lewandowski entirely is, um, awkward. And away we go!

2. “She’s carried out confrontational operations over the objections of longtime immigration officials who warned such flashy displays would discredit the department’s ultimate mission, according to two dozen current and former administration officials”

Yes, yes she has.

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem sits atop a horse with Border Patrol agents near the Rio Grande river on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, in Brownsville, Texas. (AP Photo/Gabriel V. Cardenas)

3. “Within DHS, Noem and Lewandowski frequently berate senior level staff, give polygraph tests to employees they don’t trust and have fired employees—in one incident, Lewandowski fired a U.S. Coast Guard pilot after Noem’s blanket was left behind on a plane, according to people familiar with the incident.”

Her blanket????

4. “Though some in Trump’s inner circle have tried to persuade the president to fire Noem and Lewandowski, according to administration officials, he has so far resisted, saying publicly he has no plans to dismiss her.”

I would be very interested in putting some names to these members of “Trump’s inner circle” who have urged him to get rid of Noem…

5. “Noem and Lewandowski’s close relationship had already made Trump and his top advisers uncomfortable. Lewandowski had initially wanted to formally serve as Noem’s chief of staff, but Trump rejected the idea due to reports of a romantic relationship between the two—which he has continued to bring up, officials say.”

And BOOM goes the dynamite!

The truth is that the Noem-Lewandowski relationship has long been whispered about in DC circles. But the president himself continues to bring it up?!?!? Wowza.

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