Just in case you haven’t heard about it yet, check out this bizarre story:
“White House officials have grown frustrated with Kristi Noem’s leadership of the Department of Homeland Security, leading to calls for a new secretary to more aggressively support key parts of the president’s deportation agenda, two sources familiar with the situation told MS NOW.
Frustrations from Miller and other senior White House officials are two-fold. Noem isn’t moving fast enough to build out more detention centers with the money approved in Trump’s big summer spending bill…Multiple governors have also called Trump personally and voiced frustration with Noem’s handling of FEMA and disaster relief funds, the White House official told MS NOW.
…Outgoing Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin is considered a top contender to replace Noem, according to the White House official and two other sources familiar with the situation. During a recent trip to D.C., Youngkin met with DHS and Customs and Border Protection officials, according to two former DHS officials from the Trump and Biden administrations.”
A few thoughts on this.
- First of all, the fact that puppy-killing-sadist, extremist and all-around sociopath Kristi Noem isn’t hard-line enough for Trump et al on rounding up, abusing and deporting undocumented – and other – immigrants (the vast majority of whom haven’t committed any violent crimes, or done anything other than tried to make a better life for themselves and their families in America, as tens of millions have done throughout our history) is disturbingly revealing of how horrible the intensely racist, xenophobic and white nationalist Trump administration is.
- Second, that Glenn Youngkin’s name is apparently high on the list to replace Noem is just the latest in the breathtakingly steep far-right radicalization of Youngkin, who – as late as 2020! – was busy at the Carlyle Group praising Communist China’s “unique system” (and calling China’s government “incredibly helpful”), talking positively/enthusiastically about increasing diversity and inclusion at Carlyle; making companies great via ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategies; reducing companies’ carbon footprint; etc. In short, Youngkin as late as 2020 sounded like a…”woke” liberal? Fast forward to today, and Youngkin basically has done a 180 on all of those things, which he now claims are evil incarnate. What changed? In short, Youngkin decided that he wanted to be a successful politician – governor, then president? – in the Republican Party, and that Republican Party is now 100% owned-and-operated by Trump/MAGA. So Youngkin decided that he’d do whatever it took for him to move up the ranks in THAT party, even if that required almost literally selling his soul to the devil. So that’s what he did, and continues to do, so here we are…Youngkin as a possible replacement for Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security, because Noem’s not hardcore enough for Trump, Stephen Miller, etc. apparently.
- Third, sorry to sound like a broken record, but seriously f*** any “journalist” who pushed the false narrative that Youngkin was some sort of “moderate,” “normie Republican,” “nice guy in a sweater vest,” blah blah blah. They were wrong back in 2021 – something they should have known if they’d been paying attention/doing their jobs – and they were wrong in 2022, when Youngkin campaigned for a bunch of far-right crazies, from Yesli Vega to Hung Cao to Kari Lake to Tudor Dixon, Paul LePage, and many others. They were also wrong in 2023, 2024 and 2025, as Youngkin continued moving further and further right – and from his own roots as a (seemingly) reasonable, sane, “moderate” business guy. Of course, there have been zero professional consequences for the “journalists” who whitewashed and “sanewashed” Youngkin, because that’s how that industry rolls…they all circle the wagon, act as each other’s cheerleaders, hire each other, socialize with each other, marry each other, etc. In sum – yuck.
- Finally, the fact is that Youngkin will soon (40 days) be out of the job of Virginia governor – thank god, as Youngkin was a DISASTER! – and will be looking for some way to stay relevant politically in the Trump/MAGA GOP, with an eye on the 2028 presidential race obviously. Since Youngkin won’t hold elective office, and apparently isn’t going to run against Sen. Mark Warner next year, that means Youngkin’s pretty much desperate for ANYTHING, even if it yet again requires him to do heinous shit. But sad to say, with Youngkin and his ilk, ALL they care about is money and power for themselves, regardless of the harm they do to the country, to people’s lives, etc. It’s truly despicable, but…nope, not surprising, sad to say, because that’s how the Youngkins of the world roll.
