Kristi Noem’s “Face the Nation” comments were ridiculed across the internet.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is being mocked relentlessly after bizarrely claiming that Los Angeles “wouldn’t be standing today” if former President Donald Trump hadn’t deployed the National Guard.
During a Sunday morning appearance on Face the Nation, CBS host Ed O’Keefe asked Noem whether Trump would follow through on his threats to send federal troops into Chicago.
“I won’t speak to the specifics of the operations that are planned in other cities,” the former South Dakota governor began. “But I do know that L.A. wouldn’t be standing today if President Trump hadn’t taken action. That city would have burned down if left to the devices of the mayor and the governor of that state.”
Stunned, O’Keefe gave her a chance to walk it back, repeating:
“You said L.A. wouldn’t be standing, if not for these federal deployments?” But Noem doubled down.
“So many of those homes and businesses that were in downtown L.A. and in those areas were dealing with riots and violence, and coming in and bringing those federal law enforcement officers in was incredibly important to keeping peace,” she said. “And so we are grateful that President Trump was willing to send resources and people in in order to enforce the law.”
California Governor and certified online troll Gavin Newsom had a simple response: laughter.
Hahahahahhahahahahahahahaha https://t.co/sYbZRZcacV— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) August 31, 2025
“Hahahahahhahahahahahahahaha,” Newsom’s press office posted on X.
Others quickly piled on.
“There were protests in like three downtown blocks of L.A. over the course of a few days,” wrote Pod Save America co-host and California resident Tommy Vietor. “No one here wanted or needed troops on the streets—Kristi Noem is comically full of sh–, per usual.”
There were protests in like three downtown blocks of LA over the course of a few days. No one here wanted or needed troops on the streets. @KristiNoem is comically full of shit, per usual. https://t.co/fLhjSARpaA— Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) August 31, 2025
“MRIs of Kristi Noem’s head showed nothing,” added journalist Keith Olbermann.
MRIs of @KristiNoem‘s head showed nothing pic.twitter.com/8FBNobYLHP— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) August 31, 2025
Noem’s comments come on the heels of Trump deploying thousands of National Guard troops into Democratic-led cities including Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., with Chicago reportedly next on his list.
The administration claims the deployments are necessary to “liberate” residents from crime, arguing that Democratic leaders have allowed urban centers to become “war zones.”
The Daily Beast has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment.
