President Donald Trump’s secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, was roundly condemned on Tuesday over a photo op in which she accidentally pointed a gun at a border patrol officer’s head.
In the clip Noem posted to X, she stands between two officers and says, “Here we are with Marco and Brian today. They’re letting me roll with them. We’re going to go out and pick up somebody who I think is– got charges of human trafficking. We earlier had an op that swept up somebody that was wanted for murder. So appreciate the good work that they do every day, and we appreciate them working to make America safe.”
While Noem donning tactical gear and joining operations for the cameras has become routine in recent weeks, observers were quick to note her mishandling of the weapon in her hand.
Washington Post military reporter Alex Horton replied to the video, “Noem is pointing the M4 muzzle at an agent with an open dust cover, indicating a chambered round. It’s the worst possible place to point it. No one stopped her, including the agent to her left, who should know better but also has bad muzzle discipline.”
Noem is pointing the M4 muzzle at an agent with an open dust cover, indicating a chambered round. It’s the worst possible place to point it. No one stopped her, including the agent to her left, who should know better but also has bad muzzle discipline. https://t.co/lwM08K4m3C
— Alex Horton (@AlexHortonTX) April 8, 2025
Conservative New York Times columnist David French commented, “This is what LARPing looks like” – referring to live-action role play.
Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), a former Marine, replied:
Below are some additional reactions from across the political spectrum:
