Stephen Miller Left Out of Key White House Meeting With Kristi Noem
Following backlash to the murder of nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, President Trump held a two-hour meeting in the White House Monday evening with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Noticeably absent was White House adviser Stephen Miller.
Noem reportedly requested the meeting, The New York Times reports, and it took place amid rumors that her job is in jeopardy along with that of Corey Lewandowski, her top aide and rumored boyfriend. Also attending the meeting were White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, press secretary Karoline Leavitt, and communications director Stephen Cheung. Miller, who oversees the Trump administration’s immigration policies, did not take part.
The meeting is a sign that the criticism of the administration over its actions in Minneapolis is beginning to get to Trump. As head of DHS, ICE is under Noem’s purview, and she has been the face of mass deportations as well as the violence committed by federal agents. Noem called Pretti a “domestic terrorist” over the weekend, although Leavitt tried to walk that statement back on Monday.
Miller called Pretti a “would-be assassin” following his killing, and Leavitt also refused to defend his comments. Meanwhile, Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino has been ordered to leave Minneapolis and return to his old job in California and DHS has suspended his social media accounts. Is Miller also going to be sidelined along with Noem?