Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Wednesday repeatedly declined to say whether she agreed with a top White House aide’s claim that the Democratic Party should be considered a “domestic extremist organization.”The exchange unfolded during an interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on The Source, where Noem had been invited to provide updates on the federal investigation into the deadly shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas.
Pressed on President Donald Trump’s recent remarks denouncing “radical left terrorists” in response to the attack, Collins asked Noem directly if she shared White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller’s characterization of Democrats.
“As the head of the Department of Homeland Security … would you agree with that characterization?” Collins asked.
Noem responded by accusing Democrats of supporting “radical criminal organizations” and groups like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua but avoided answering the question. “We certainly have seen Democrats out there take extreme positions and support radical criminal organizations,” she said.
Collins repeated the question multiple times, asking for a yes-or-no answer. Noem continued to sidestep, saying Democrats should “denounce these criminals” engaged in drug trafficking, human trafficking, and violent crimes.
On her third attempt, Collins again asked if Noem would classify Democrats as a “domestic extremist organization.” Noem declined to do so, instead saying, “Their views are extreme and they don’t align with the American people at all.”
The interview marked one of the most direct attempts by a Cabinet official to address Miller’s controversial comments, which critics say reflect the Trump administration’s escalating rhetoric toward its political opponents.
