Former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson defended acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan, who has come under fire from President Trump and his allies.
Johnson, who led DHS during the Obama administration, rejected the claim that McAleenan is an “Obama guy” and praised his work over the years rising up the ranks at Customs and Border Protection before he became a political appointee.
“When I was secretary, my two go-to people on immigration and imports were Kevin McAleenan, who was No. 2 at CBP, and Tom Homan, who was No. 2 at ICE,” Johnson said Thursday during a panel on MSNBC.
Homan, who worked as acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for a year-and-a-half under Trump, is now a vocal defender of Trump and his policies as a Fox News contributor.
“The word seems to be that Kevin McAleenan is an ‘Obama guy.’ He’s not an Obama guy,” McAleenan continued. “He was a career civil servant who, on the merits, rose to the top of the federal bureaucracy.”
Meet the Press host Chuck Todd broke in to quip, “Did you just get him fired by Trump just now? Are you already saying too many nice things about him?”
Johnson replied, “Well, I have to be careful I know,” before reiterating how he believes McAleen is an “outstanding” civil servant.
McAleenan, who worked at Customs and Border Protection on and off for years, was tapped by Trump in January 2017 to serve as acting CBP commissioner and was confirmed by the Senate the following spring. He assumed the role of acting DHS chief in April after Kirstjen Nielsen resigned.
But Trump and his allies have expressed growing skepticism and distrust of McAleenan. In a January meeting at the White House, Trump reportedly called McAleenan an “Obama guy.”
Federal Election Commission records show McAleenan donated to Democrats for years, which prompted Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council, wrote in an op-ed that he “has proven his political leanings in his actions, including his campaign contributions” and “[b]y definition, Kevin McAleenan should be considered anti-Trump.”
McAleenan is now at the center of a federal investigation into the leak of confidential government information in late June that forced ICE to call off a nationwide operation. Reports emerged Thursday that McAleenan’s top aide and spokesman, Andrew Meehan, is resigning. Sources said that Trump has no intention of formally nominating McAleenan for a permanent position.
