Kristi Noem, the current Department of Homeland Security Secretary and former South Dakota governor, has publicly criticized Minnesota’s then-Governor Tim Walz for his response to the 2020 Minneapolis riots. Noem argued that the Trump administration was determined to prevent a relapse of such events in Los Angeles, which had been rocked by protests following ICE raids. This came as the Trump administration prepared to deploy a total of 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles, a move that California Governor Gavin Newsom has strongly opposed, calling it an unconstitutional encroachment on state sovereignty.
Noem, who previously served as governor of South Dakota, defended the Trump administration’s decision to deploy thousands of National Guard troops and hundreds of Marines to address the protests in Los Angeles, using Minnesota as an example of what happens when a ‘bad governor’ is in charge. She told reporters on Tuesday that she had watched Walz ‘let his city burn’ and that the president and she had discussed the matter in the past. Noem emphasized that the Trump administration was not going to allow another city to suffer the same fate as Minneapolis, where the protests had erupted after the death of George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer.
Walz, who was first elected governor of Minnesota in 2019, has faced criticism for his delayed response to the 2020 protests, though he has acknowledged that the state’s reaction was ultimately effective. In a 2022 gubernatorial debate, Walz stated, ‘I’m proud of Minnesota’s response. I’m proud of Minnesota’s first responders who were out there, from firefighters to police to the National Guard to citizens that were out there.’ However, Walz’s office has not yet commented on Noem’s recent criticisms, and his response to the situation remains a topic of political discourse.
The Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles has further intensified the political tensions between the federal government and California. Newsom has argued that the move violates state sovereignty, as governors typically oversee National Guard units. However, Trump invoked a federal law to place the troops under federal command, bypassing Newsom’s authority. Newsom has also criticized the administration for what he calls ‘dangerous rhetoric,’ suggesting the deployment is more about political posturing than public safety.
This debate underscores the broader tensions between state and federal authorities, particularly in matters of public order and law enforcement. The deployment of troops to Los Angeles has been met with mixed reactions, with some praising the administration’s readiness to address potential unrest and others condemning the decision as an overreach of federal power. As the situation unfolds, the role of federal versus state authority in such crises is likely to remain a focal point of political discourse.