Noem Under Fire After Abruptly Leaving Hearing for FEMA Meeting That Was Canceled
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem abruptly left a House committee hearing Thursday, saying she needed to attend a FEMA Review Council meeting — but that meeting was reportedly canceled, raising fresh questions on Capitol Hill.
Noem’s early departure came amid a heated House Homeland Security Committee session where she defended the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement and faced intense Republican-Democrat clashes over policy and oversight.
According to Associated Press reporting, an afternoon session of the FEMA Review Council — a group formed to propose reforms to the Federal Emergency Management Agency — was slated to happen after the hearing, but was canceled at the last minute, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Committee Democrats criticized the move, saying it undercut Noem’s explanation for leaving. Republicans on the panel, meanwhile, largely supported her testimony and agenda.
The meeting was scheduled and is not taking place, and that raises a legitimate question, according to a committee aide familiar with the schedule.
The timing intensifies scrutiny of DHS leadership as Noem navigates criticism over deportation policies, agency transparency, and internal FEMA reform proposals. Democrats pointed to the canceled meeting as symbolic of broader issues of accountability. Republicans countered that scheduling changes are not uncommon and defended Noem’s priorities.
The discrepancy between Noem’s stated reason for leaving and the reported cancellation of the FEMA Review Council session has not been directly addressed by DHS or FEMA at press time.
Capitol staff said lawmakers are expected to seek clarification from DHS leadership in follow-up correspondence and possibly at future hearings.
With negotiations over DHS oversight and funding continuing, the fallout from Thursday’s session may extend into next week’s committee schedule.
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