Noem Defends 'Right People' Voting Remarks, Citing Election Security

DHS Secretary dismisses criticism, says comments were 'commonsense'

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem has defended recent comments she made about ensuring 'we have the right people voting, electing the right leaders to lead this country,' calling the remarks 'commonsense' and part of DHS's role in election security. Noem claimed her department has the authority to find 'vulnerabilities' in the election system and implement 'mitigation measures' to ensure elections are carried out 'correctly.' Democratic lawmakers have criticized Noem's remarks, building on condemnation over how she has handled immigration enforcement.

Why it matters

Noem's comments have sparked controversy, with critics arguing they could be seen as an attempt to restrict voting rights. The debate highlights ongoing tensions around election security, voter access, and the appropriate role of federal agencies like DHS in overseeing elections.

The details

In response to a clip from CNN's 'State of the Union' where host Jake Tapper questioned border czar Tom Homan about Noem's comments, the DHS Secretary said '[i]t must be exhausting to regularly manufacture outrage even over the most commonsense statements.' Noem claimed her department has the authority to find 'vulnerabilities' in the election system and put in place 'mitigation measures' to ensure local and state elections are carried out 'correctly.' She suggested elections were under DHS's mission of 'maintaining critical infrastructure.'

  • On Friday, Noem made the controversial comments about DHS's role in election security.
  • On Sunday, CNN's Jake Tapper questioned a border official about Noem's remarks on his show 'State of the Union'.
  • On Monday, Noem responded to the criticism on the social platform X, defending her comments as 'commonsense.'

The players

Kristi Noem

The current Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under President Trump's second term.

Jake Tapper

The host of CNN's 'State of the Union' news program.

Tom Homan

A border official who was questioned by Jake Tapper about Noem's remarks.

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What they’re saying

“'Yes, we must build election infrastructure that makes it easy and secure for eligible American citizens to vote—while preventing non-citizens, including illegal aliens, from casting ballots. The choice of who to vote for is obviously up to the voters themselves.'”

— Kristi Noem, DHS Secretary (X)

“'It must be exhausting to regularly manufacture outrage even over the most commonsense statements.'”

— Kristi Noem, DHS Secretary (X)

What’s next

Democratic lawmakers have vowed to further scrutinize Noem's comments and DHS's role in election oversight. The debate is likely to continue as the 2028 presidential election approaches.

The takeaway

Noem's remarks have reignited concerns about potential voter suppression efforts and the appropriate boundaries of federal agencies in administering elections. The controversy underscores the ongoing partisan tensions around election integrity and security.