DHS Secretary Kristi Noem Ran From Congress — Then Hid in the Hallway Holding a Baby

By now, most people have seen the moment Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem abruptly walked out of a congressional hearing as lawmakers pressed her on the conduct of ICE and Border Patrol. What received far less attention is what happened after she fled the hearing — and what her excuse for leaving reveals about the state of accountability inside DHS.

The Walkout

During testimony before Congress, Noem was being questioned aggressively about ICE practices, internal DHS contracting decisions, and the diversion of federal resources away from serious crimes like child exploitation and gun trafficking. Rather than answer, she announced she had to leave early — citing a meeting of the FEMA Review Council, which she co-chairs.

Then she walked out.

The Excuse That Fell Apart

Here’s the problem: the FEMA Review Council meeting had already been canceled roughly 20–30 minutes before Noem used it as her reason to exit the hearing.

She didn’t miscalculate timing.
She didn’t get pulled into an emergency.
She cited a meeting that was no longer happening.

And instead of returning to testify once that became obvious, Noem lingered in the hallway of the Capitol — for nearly half an hour — holding a baby as cameras rolled.

Members of the public and staff confronted her directly, accusing her of using the child as a prop while avoiding congressional oversight. The frustration was palpable.

This wasn’t a scheduling conflict.
It was a stall.

Why the FEMA Council Matters

The FEMA Review Council is a 12-member body created at Donald Trump’s direction to explore dismantling or dramatically restructuring FEMA — shifting emergency response responsibilities from the federal government to states and municipalities that often lack the resources to handle disasters.

The council has repeatedly missed deadlines.
Its long-promised recommendations remain unpublished.
And the very meeting Noem claimed she needed to attend never occurred.

Meanwhile, state and local officials from across the country had already traveled to Washington expecting that session to happen.

The Questions She Didn’t Answer

After Noem left, Democratic Congressman James Walkenshaw of Virginia laid out exactly what he wanted to ask her — questions now left unanswered:

Did she personally approve DHS contracts that allegedly funneled nearly a quarter billion dollars to politically connected firms?

Did similar firms receive millions in taxpayer funds during her tenure as governor of South Dakota?

Why were DHS investigators diverted away from child exploitation and gun trafficking while massive sums flowed to political allies?

A federal contracting law expert quoted by ProPublica summarized the situation bluntly:
“It’s corrupt.”

Noem was no longer in the room to respond.

A Troubling Pattern at DHS

The hearing also exposed confusion — or evasion — within federal law enforcement leadership itself. An FBI counterterrorism official struggled to answer basic questions about extremist group designations, including whether the Proud Boys are still classified as an extremist organization — despite widespread reporting that they were designated as such in 2018.

That lack of clarity only reinforced concerns that political priorities are overriding professional standards across agencies meant to protect the public.

Out of Touch With Reality

Later in the segment, Congressman Walkenshaw offered a broader assessment of the Trump administration’s posture — describing it as a “beltway fever” bubble disconnected from real economic pain.

While Americans struggle with housing costs, groceries, utilities, and healthcare premiums, the administration insists affordability is a “hoax” and tells voters they’ve “never been richer.”

That message didn’t resonate in Virginia.
It didn’t resonate nationally.
And it continues to backfire.

The Bigger Picture

Kristi Noem didn’t just leave a hearing early.

She:

Gave a false excuse

Avoided oversight

Ignored serious allegations

And staged a hallway delay instead of returning to testify

Congressional hearings exist for a reason.
Cabinet officials are not above them.
And accountability doesn’t end when the cameras move to the hallway.

If this administration believes it can govern while dodging scrutiny — Americans are watching closely.

And they’re not buying it.