Trumpâs newly-appointed Secretary of Homeland Security has refused to rule out locking up children at one of the most notorious torture sites in modern U.S. history.
Appearing on Sunday morningâs broadcast of Meet the Press, Noem donned a comically large cowboy hat as she deflected questions from host Kristen Welker about Trumpâs plan to expand detention facilities for migrants at Guantanamo Bay.
âWeâve always had a presence of illegal immigrants there that have been detained. Weâre just building out some capacity,â Noem insisted.
Welker followed up by asking, âIs it possible, Madam Secretary, that people could be held at Guantanamo Bay indefinitely?â
When Noem vaguely suggested such detentions were not currently on the table, Welker pressed her again, asking, âCould women, children and families be held there at Guantanamo?â
Noem replied, âYou know, if you look at what we are doing today is [sic] targeting the worst of the worst. The priority of this president is to go after criminal aliens that are making our streets more dangerous.â
Unsatisfied with Noemâs ducking and weaving, Welker circled back to ask once more, âBut I guess, Madam Secretary, my question, would you rule out that woman, that children, that families could be held at Guantanamo Bay? Do you rule that out?â
Noem then said, âYou know, Kristen, weâre going to use the facilities that we have. And I think youâre well aware we have other detention facilities, other places in the country.â
The former governor of South Dakota was ripped online for her cowboy get-up. âCosplay Kristi is at it again on Meet the Press,â journalist Aaron Rupar wrote on X.