A pilot fired over Kristi Noem's missing blanket and the constant chaos inside DHS

[dalton99a]

Source: Wall Street Journal

Kristi Noem knew she needed a reset.

It was two days after federal agents had shot and killed Alex Pretti, and Noem was facing fire from all sides. Even some inside the administration were pushing President Trump to remove her from her position for her handling of the chaotic immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis and comments she’d made saying Pretti committed an act of domestic terrorism.

So Noem’s top adviser, Corey Lewandowski, messaged Trump’s pollster with a request: They needed to cut an ad to help her, according to two people familiar with the episode. The pollster, Tony Fabrizio, who worked on Trump’s 2024 re-election campaign, ignored the entreaty, the people said.

Throughout her tenure as secretary of Homeland Security, a sprawling agency charged with carrying out Trump’s central campaign promise of a mass deportation, Noem has attempted to burnish her personal stardom at every turn. With Lewandowski, Trump’s former campaign manager, at her side, she has staged a headline grabbing immigration crackdown while sidelining rivals and dissenters.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/a-pilot-fired-over-kristi-noem-s-missing-blanket-and-the-constant-chaos-inside-dhs/ar-AA1WfjbG

[617Blue]

1. "Top Advisor" - isn't she a married woman openly have an affair w/ Lewandowski?

[Irish_Dem]

2. Yes. MAGA is fine with a married woman have a public affair.

Family values in action.

[VMA131Marine]

7. They are both married, according to the article

[dalton99a]

19. +1. Republicans and Evangelicals are okay with it

[Javaman]

23. it's the worst kept secret in Washington, next to the orange pedo being senile. nt

[Aviation Pro]

3. These fucking "people"

Need a penal enema.

[ToxMarz]

11. As far as Noem and Lewandowski

These fucking "people" applies literally. He ain't a real looker so she must be attracted to his personality, which is even scarier.

[PatSeg]

18. Yeah, I don't get it at all

During Trump's first term, Lewandowski was having an affair with Hope Hicks. That blew my mind. She is gorgeous, surely she could do better than him.

Meanwhile, both Noem and Lewandowski are married.

[QueerDuck]

4. Info about the "fired pilot" ... it was WAY down in the story... almost an afterthought.

Within DHS, Noem and Lewandowski frequently berate senior level staff, give polygraph tests to employees they don’t trust and have fired employees—in one incident, Lewandowski fired a U.S. Coast Guard pilot after Noem’s blanket was left behind on a plane, according to people familiar with the incident.

Who writes these awful headlines anyway?

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. Someone who wants to point out she's an entitled brat?

I think it's good putting that in the headline - we've heard time after time that she's screwing Lewandowski (both are married) in government planes and residences, and that she's all about getting publicity for herself, while overseeing a violent and cruel regime. But that she treats the people working under her like shit is also worth knowing - the wavering voters need to know she sees herself as the "elite" who get to do what the fuck they want, while pissing on the workers.

[QueerDuck]

9. I take your point, but if this was important enough to be in the headline, it should have been ...

... above the fold.

[LymphocyteLover]

14. clickbait, I suppose.... these fucking people though...

[PatSeg]

20. I was wondering the same thing

Some of the headlines are terrible.

[eppur_se_muova]

22. Journalists write stories, editors (all too often re-)write headlines.

Journos want to get all the facts straight; editors want to know people are going to read it. Free market forces at work.

[underpants]

5. Wow that was a great read. More on the blanket

In the blanket incident, Noem had to switch planes after a maintenance issue was discovered, but her blanket wasn’t moved to the second plane, according to the people familiar with the incident. The Coast Guard pilot was initially fired and told to take a commercial flight home when they reached their destination. They eventually reinstated the pilot because no one else was available to fly them home.

The DHS spokeswoman didn’t address the episode but said the secretary has “made personnel decisions to deliver excellence.”

In an incident last year that rankled some senior staff at the agency, Lewandowski made it known to top ICE officials that he wanted to be issued a law-enforcement badge and a federally issued gun, according to people familiar with his push. Officials are typically only issued a badge and a gun after undergoing law-enforcement training.

The administration was preparing to bring on Tom Feeley, a former top ICE official in New York, as its new director when Lewandowski asked Feeley if he would be willing to issue him and several other political officials badges and guns. Feeley declined, and he was subsequently passed over for the top job at ICE.

[Delphinus]

6. Good god, these people are awful!

Their feelings of entitlement are incomprehensible to me. Badges and guns - more freaking cosplay.

[Seinan Sensei]

29. "Little-Man Syndrome" may explain part of it

Corey Lewandowski's height is not publicly disclosed.
Some guess as short as 5’8”

Y’know, like Greg Bovino‘s height is not listed — is guessed to be 5’4”

Overcompensating much?

[BGRD]

10. Who gets fired over a missing blanket?

There is an issue that requires oversight by the Congress. Isn't Adultery still a personal sin against God. Apparently not if you are a member of the party of evangelical Christian family values. That is a matter between them and their conscience.
However using a large chunk of the Homeland Security budget to fund a flying "honeymoon hotel" for the top people at Homeland Security.
We should all remind Senator Fetterman and the Democrats that crossed the floor that they voted the funding for Homeland Security. They should have at least read the summary of Project 2025 (Bringing Fascism to the USA) maybe they would have realized what they were voting for.
They should be reminded that they voted for that "fucking" plane.
Why does'nt Fetterman retire to "spend time with his family" and Governor Shapiro can replace him with Democrat. By that I mean another Democrat.

[mdbl]

12. Who would have thought Kristi was petty?

[ananda]

13. LOL

[JohnnyRingo]

15. I can just hear the internet Meme Machine cranking up.

In case she thought it would blow over this weekend.

[AverageOldGuy]

16. I read the linked article

Very good article.

Words fail me trying to comment on the specifics of the article.

Noem, Lewandowski, and company have turned the entire DHS into a clown show staffed by glory-seeking incompetents.

[dalton99a]

21. It is an openly corrupt regime.

Brazen and shameless.

[mwb970]

17. Jesus, what trashy people!

[eppur_se_muova]

24. For Noem, this is a continuation of her behavior as Governor. Lots of $$$$ for self-indulgence and friends.

https://www.gallego.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Letter_to_DHS_IG_-_Improper_DHS_Advertising_Contract_Award_-_11-20-2025.pdf

[dalton99a]

25. +1

[Sneederbunk]

26. But it was her favorite blankie!

[Mysterian]

27. Republicans love putting vapid community college beauty queens in important jobs

Idiot republicans want to be governed by idiots.

[underpants]

28. They have a private cabin in the back of her plane

The pair have lately been using a luxury 737 MAX jet, with a private cabin in back, for their travel around the country, according to people familiar with the matter.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=3615628

[Wild blueberry]

30. So whenever she fucks up her job (spoiler alert: every day) she just makes an ad

Maybe try DOING YOUR JOB instead of spending all your time messaging.
Although, that is what the entire corrupt regime does. Ugh.