Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen told colleagues she was on the brink of stepping down from her post last week, according to a new report.
President Trump rebuked Nielsen in the presence of his entire Cabinet for not appropriately addressing border security, thus prompting her to think about resigning, sources familiar with the conversation told the New York Times. Nielsen has written a resignation letter, but has not turned it in, two of the sources said.
Trump’s comments directed at Nielsen were part of a larger rant where he took shots the entire Cabinet for not making progress on combating illegal immigrants from crossing the border.
Nielsen, who was described by one source as being unhappy in her position, felt that Trump was primarily blaming her and disclosed to colleagues thereafter she shouldn’t remain in the job if Trump did not approve of her leadership.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security pushed back on claims made in the report.
“The @nytimes article alleging that the Secretary drafted a resignation letter yesterday and was close to resigning is false,” spokesperson Tyler Houlton tweeted. “The Secretary is hard at work today on the President’s security-focused agenda and supporting the men and women of @DHSgov.”
Additionally, Nielsen said Thursday that Trump is “rightly frustrated” by challenges with securing the border and added that she will continue to advance Trump’s “security-focused” agenda.
“The President is rightly frustrated that existing loopholes and the lack of Congressional action have prevented this administration from fully securing the border and protecting the American people. I share his frustration,” Nielsen said in a statement. “Border security is the most basic and necessary responsibility of a sovereign nation. These are complex issues and I will continue to direct the Department to do all we can to implement the President’s security-focused agenda. It is my great honor to represent the men and women of DHS who work every day to enforce our laws and secure our nation.”
The New York Times report isn’t the first suggesting a tense relationship between Trump and his DHS secretary.
Last month Axios reported Trump warned he would rescind Nielsen’s nomination for homeland security secretary shortly after she was selected in October 2017. Trump was reportedly weighing whether to withdraw her nomination because Trump had seen Fox News personalities characterize Nielsen as soft on securing the border.
Trump has long called for harsher immigration laws and discussed constructing a wall along the southern border and has exerted pressure on lawmakers to secure funds for building it. He got $1.6 billion for wall construction in the omnibus bill he signed in March, but he had originally called for $25 billion. The $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill keeps the government funded through Sept. 30.
