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Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker joined numerous Democrats on Thursday in celebrating the ousting of now-former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, addressing her directly in a fiery video message and trolling her with an updated social media bio.
Pritzker has been an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump and his hardline immigration agenda, which Noem has vigorously promoted as DHS head on social media over the past year.
This time, it was Pritzker doing the talking on social media.
He began with a damning reminder of Noem’s past, posting a modified social media profile for Noem on X with a fabricated bio that read: “DHS Secretary (Former) | Public Speaker | Unlicensed Dog Euthanizer.”
Noem infamously admitted in her 2024 book, “No Going Back,” to shooting and killing her 14-month-old dog, Cricket. She described the late canine in the book as “untrainable” and “less than worthless” after it ruined a hunting trip by attacking a neighbor’s chickens. She was memorably and mercilessly skewered for it on “South Park” last year.
Pritzker then addressed Noem in a strong, ominous tone in his video message.
“Hey, Kristi Noem, don’t let the door hit you on your way out,” he began. “Here’s your legacy: Corruption and chaos. Parents and children teargassed. Moms and nurses, U.S. citizens, getting shot in the face. Now that you’re gone, don’t think you get to just walk away. I guarantee you, you will still be held accountable.”
On Thursday, Trump announced Noem’s new position as “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas,” a newly formed initiative purportedly launching Saturday. He also named Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) as her replacement.
Noem’s firing came days after her disastrous hearing by the Senate Judiciary Committee, during which she refused to apologize for smearing Renée Good and Alex Pretti as domestic terrorists after they were killed by immigration agents in Minnesota in January.
While Democrats have cheered her ouster, however, a newly released supercut of Mullin’s worst moments in office suggests the DHS might not exactly be turning over a new leaf.
Pritzker and Noem have some history. The governor asked Noem in a letter last year if immigration enforcement sweeps in Chicago could be temporarily halted so that children could spend Halloween “without fear,” only for her to slam his request as “shameful” — and then state that DHS would “increase” its activities.
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