Kristi Noem Once Called Federal Use of National Guard as 'Attack on States' Rights'. Now She Supports Trump's Use in LA Protests

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is facing criticism for backing President Donald Trump's decision to deploy the National Guard in Los Angeles, despite having strongly opposed similar proposed federal action under former President Joe Biden.

In February 2024, while serving as South Dakota's governor, Noem accused Biden of threatening "a direct attack on states' rights" when Democrats urged him to federalize the National Guard in Texas.

Noem said the move would trigger a "war" between Washington D.C. and Republican-led states. Noem even traveled to Texas to personally support Gov. Greg Abbott's border crackdown, which included National Guard troops interfering with federal immigration agents.

But on June 8, Noem publicly supported Trump's use of 2,000 federally deployed National Guard troops to quell anti-immigration protests in Los Angeles—over the objections of California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom.

"If [Newsom] was doing his job," Noem posted on X, "our ICE agents would not be injured and attacked while doing their jobs and carrying out immigration enforcement."

On CBS's "Face the Nation" Sunday, she justified her shift by saying Trump acted because Newsom "makes bad decisions."

Newsom himself called out Noem's change in opinion, reposting the homeland security secretary's 2024 tweet with the caption, "This aged well."

Trump authorized the 60-day deployment under a federal statute allowing Guard use in emergencies where state leaders are unable, or unwilling, to enforce federal laws. Newsom called the move "a serious breach of state sovereignty" and demanded the order be revoked.