Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was back on the streets with ICE overnight — touting a bust of MS-13 and 18th Street gang members — after she reportedly taunted Canada as the “51st state.”
The former South Dakota governor, 53, wearing a bullet-proof vest and an American flag beanie, was flanked by beefy federal agents as she thanked them for “putting their lives at risk” in a video posted to X Tuesday.
Her appearance during the ICE raid follows her recent trip to the northern border in Derby Line, Vermont, where she visited the Haskell Free Library & Opera House, which straddles the border and features a line of electrical tape inside that marks the frontier between the United States and Canada.
Noem was in the area following murder of David Maland, 44, who was killed during a traffic stop — allegedly by members of a vegan trans cult called the “Zizians.”
While inside the library, Neom was seen standing on the American side of the scuffed tape saying “USA No. 1” before stepping onto the Canadian side and stating “the 51st state,” Kathy Converse, a retired English teacher who volunteers as a tour guide, told the Boston Globe.
The gibe echos President Trump’s statements on acquiring Canada. He has repeatedly called Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “Governor Trudeau” — including as the outgoing liberal leader slammed Trump’s tariffs.
“She did it at least three times and was very clear in saying, ‘USA No. 1,’ and didn’t even say ‘Canada.’ Just, ‘The 51st state,’” Bishop, who is a Canadian citizen, said.
But the move certainly ruffled feathers with the locals.
“I was angry,” Converse said. “Politics should not come into this, you know? This is unique in the world, and it’s always been a community that was welcoming.”
On Tuesday, Trump instituted a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico to crack down on the flow of illicit fentanyl into the US, arguing their governments haven’t done enough to address the issue.
“Drugs are still pouring into our Country from Mexico and Canada at very high and unacceptable levels,” Trump wrote on Truth Social last week. “A large percentage of these Drugs, much of them in the form of Fentanyl, are made in, and supplied by, China.”
Hours before the tariffs went into effect,Trudeau announced that Canada “will respond with 25% tariffs against $155 billion of American goods.”
“Americans will pay more for groceries, gas, and cars, and potentially lose thousands of jobs. Tariffs will disrupt an incredibly successful trading relationship,” Trudeau said.
Read the full article here