DHS employees have spoken out about their former boss Kristi Noem’s ‘toxic’ leadership.
Kristi Noem’s ‘Toxic’ DHS Leadership Allegedly Forced Officials to Take ‘Extreme’ Steps to Avoid Surveillance
Kristi Noem no longer serves as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, yet former DHS employees continue criticizing her alleged creation of a "toxic" workplace.
An experienced staffer told The Daily Beast that DHS Headquarters in Washington, D.C., ranked among the most toxic workplaces they had encountered, rife with distrust, abuse and corruption.
A new report claims senior Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials resorted to extreme measures to conceal private conversations, fearing surveillance by Noem and her senior advisor and rumored lover Corey Lewandowski.
Sources familiar with the situation revealed that top ICE bosses used a high-tech electronic device to mask private discussions. Early in Noem's tenure, officials deployed "sound machines," suspecting surveillance by her and Lewandowski.
These devices generate noise to shield sensitive conversations from eavesdropping or recording.
The Daily Beast noted these claims followed a Washington Examiner report on Noem and Lewandowski's DHS roles. Three sources told the outlet that Senate-confirmed CBP commissioner Rodney Scott grew "paranoid" about Lewandowski spying via his work phone and allegedly bugging his office.
An X post about Donald Trump firing Kristi Noem as DHS Secretary.
The Washington Examiner previously reported that Noem and Lewandowski launched an aggressive campaign to oust CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott. Scott reportedly suspected Lewandowski sought pretexts to convince President Donald Trump to fire him, as Noem lacked that authority.
A source told the paper Scott carried his cell phone in a Faraday bag to block electromagnetic signals and prevent surveillance. "I had never seen that outside of the intel community, where somebody's putting their phones in a bag so they're not emanating and can't be monitored," the source said. "I went ahead and put my phone in the bag, and that's when we had the conversation."
Why Donald Trump Fired Kristi Noem as DHS Secretary
Claims of Noem's "toxic" workplace surfaced after her high-profile ouster from the Cabinet. In early March 2026, President Trump announced via social media he was firing Noem as DHS Secretary, naming Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) as her replacement effective March 31.
Trump praised Noem, writing she "has served us well" and would become "Envoy for The Shield of the Americas." An administration official told NBC News her removal stemmed from "a culmination of her many unfortunate leadership failures," including Minnesota fallout, ad campaign issues, infidelity allegations, staff mismanagement, and feuds with CBP and ICE heads.