(Reuters)

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is being called out by critics after dramatically shifting her stance on the president's use of the National Guard. The controversy stems from Noem's recent endorsement of President Donald Trump's decision to deploy troops in Los Angeles in response to protests against immigration arrests — a move that stands in stark contrast statements she made previously about such actions.

On Sunday, Noem appeared on CBS's "Face The Nation" to defend Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles. She claimed the action was necessary due to "bad decisions" by California Governor Gavin Newsom and emphasized that the decision was made for "the safety of this community."

Noem said, "And that's one of the reasons why these National Guard soldiers are being federalized: So they can use their special skill set to keep peace."

However, Noem's current position directly contradicts her previous statements on the federalization of National Guard troops.

Just last year, when Joe Biden was president, Noem vehemently opposed such actions, stating they were an assault on states' rights. During a February 2024 interview on Fox News with Sean Hannity, which Noem herself shared on social media, she declared, "We will defend our rights because the last several years, we've seen Democrats take away our freedom of religion, our freedom of assembly, our freedom of speech. We can't let them take away our states' rights too, especially our right to protect ourselves."

This apparent flip-flop has not gone unnoticed. Critics, including Governor Newsom, have been quick to point out the inconsistency in Noem's positions.

More criticisms can be seen here.