Tillis: ‘Noem Is Out of Her Depth,’ She’s ‘Not Competent’

January 28, 2026
6:11 pm

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Sen. Thom Tillis just lit a match under the Trump administration's DHS pick, blasting South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem on CNN as out of her depth and straight-up not competent to helm Homeland Security. This isn't some backroom whisper—it's prime-time cable, where Tillis, a North Carolina Republican with a track record of bucking party lines on guns, unloaded on Noem's qualifications amid her confirmation saga. Noem, a darling of the 2A crowd for her fierce defense of Second Amendment rights back home (think signing constitutional carry into law and staring down Biden's ATF over pistol braces), is now catching flak from her own side. Tillis didn't mince words, implying her gubernatorial resume falls short for wrangling border security, immigration, and the sprawling federal apparatus that includes the Secret Service and FEMA. Dig deeper, and this feud reeks of intra-GOP power plays with massive ripple effects for gun owners. Tillis, no stranger to RINO accusations after backing red-flag laws and universal background checks, might be angling to kneecap Noem as a proxy for broader establishment resistance to Trump's outsiders. Noem's bona fides? She's vetoed gun control, armed teachers in schools, and called out feds for overreach—pure 2A catnip. But if Tillis sways enough senators, her rejection could greenlight a more competent (read: squishy) nominee who prioritizes ATF empire-building over liberty. Imagine a DHS head less hostile to enforcing Biden-era regs on suppressors or braces; that's the nightmare scenario. For the 2A community, this is a litmus test: rally behind Noem to signal zero tolerance for anti-gun saboteurs in GOP ranks, or watch the swamp consolidate power. The implications scream urgency—confirmation battles like this shape the regulatory battlefield for years. Noem's ouster would embolden gun-grabbers, signaling to the deep state that populist 2A warriors need not apply. 2A patriots, fire up the phones to your senators; this isn't just about one governor—it's about fortifying the ramparts against federal overreach. Tillis wants competence? Let's remind him that true competence means shielding the right to keep and bear arms from bureaucratic tyrants. Stay vigilant.

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Sen. Thom Tillis just lit a match under the Trump administration’s DHS pick, blasting South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem on CNN as out of her depth and straight-up not competent to helm Homeland Security. This isn’t some backroom whisper—it’s prime-time cable, where Tillis, a North Carolina Republican with a track record of bucking party lines on guns, unloaded on Noem’s qualifications amid her confirmation saga. Noem, a darling of the 2A crowd for her fierce defense of Second Amendment rights back home (think signing constitutional carry into law and staring down Biden’s ATF over pistol braces), is now catching flak from her own side. Tillis didn’t mince words, implying her gubernatorial resume falls short for wrangling border security, immigration, and the sprawling federal apparatus that includes the Secret Service and FEMA.

Dig deeper, and this feud reeks of intra-GOP power plays with massive ripple effects for gun owners. Tillis, no stranger to RINO accusations after backing red-flag laws and universal background checks, might be angling to kneecap Noem as a proxy for broader establishment resistance to Trump’s outsiders. Noem’s bona fides? She’s vetoed gun control, armed teachers in schools, and called out feds for overreach—pure 2A catnip. But if Tillis sways enough senators, her rejection could greenlight a more competent (read: squishy) nominee who prioritizes ATF empire-building over liberty. Imagine a DHS head less hostile to enforcing Biden-era regs on suppressors or braces; that’s the nightmare scenario. For the 2A community, this is a litmus test: rally behind Noem to signal zero tolerance for anti-gun saboteurs in GOP ranks, or watch the swamp consolidate power.

The implications scream urgency—confirmation battles like this shape the regulatory battlefield for years. Noem’s ouster would embolden gun-grabbers, signaling to the deep state that populist 2A warriors need not apply. 2A patriots, fire up the phones to your senators; this isn’t just about one governor—it’s about fortifying the ramparts against federal overreach. Tillis wants competence? Let’s remind him that true competence means shielding the right to keep and bear arms from bureaucratic tyrants. Stay vigilant.

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