The liberal media delights in studies of friction throughout the Trump administration, and Jake Tapper tried to show one into actuality on Sunday’s version of CNN’s State of the Union.
With border czar Tom Homan as his visitor, Tapper repeatedly tried to lure him into criticizing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. Axios not too long ago reported friction between the 2, and Tapper clearly sought to use the difficulty.
Tapper started by taking part in a clip of Noem saying that relating to elections, it’s vital for DHS to be proactive “to make it possible for we have now the precise individuals voting, electing the precise leaders to steer this nation.”
Tapper invited Homan to interpret Noem’s assertion about “electing the precise leaders.” Homan demurred, saying that may be a query for the Secretary. However he added, truly defending Noem: “If I needed to guess, most likely that solely these legally eligible to vote would vote.”
@JakeTapper Tries To Lure Homan Into Bashing Noem — Border Czar Will not Chew pic.twitter.com/4tsLbpMhXm
— Mark Finkelstein (@markfinkelstein) February 15, 2026
Tapper then pivoted to flattery.
Quoting an unidentified Minnesota official, Tapper stated Homan had been a “straight shooter,” “simpler to work with,” and “a profession cop,” whereas Noem and Greg Bovino, the previous Border Patrol commander at massive, had been “truly insane.”
Tapper pressed: “Why do you suppose Noem and Bovino struggled a lot to work with native officers, the way in which you could have efficiently?”
Homan wouldn’t chunk, explaining as an alternative that he met with Minnesota’s governor and legal professional basic, and the Minneapolis mayor as a result of, “You may’t repair issues speaking in an echo chamber. You’ve bought to speak to the individuals that you could be disagree with.”
Tapper gushed: “You sound like an grownup. You sound like an official who must be in command of issues.”
Hoping the buttering-up had labored, Tapper tried once more to get Homan to shiv Noem:
“We’ve seen numerous examples, once more, this isn’t you, however do you agree that there are individuals within the Trump administration which can be inflicting DHS to have a credibility downside?”
The border czar refused to take the bait.
“I’m not going to let the media divide this administration. Look, it’s one staff, one battle.” Homan acknowledged that he and Noem don’t at all times agree, however stated that’s what makes a robust staff: “We convey totally different concepts to the desk, then agree on a mission.”
He then repeated the important thing line of the day: “It’s one staff, one battle. I’m not going to divide this administration.”
Poor Jake was pressured to throw within the towel:
“I hear what you’re saying. I’m not going to get you to criticize anyone.”
In admitting defeat, Tapper uncovered his aim: to tempt Homan into criticizing Noem. Tapper would not need somebody to goad him repeatedly into criticizing Anderson Cooper or Brian Stelter.
A for effort, Jake — however no cigar.
This is the transcript.
CNN
State of the Union
2/15/26
9:17 am ETJAKE TAPPER: DHS Secretary Noem made some feedback that Democratic chief Schumer simply commented on earlier within the present. I need to play them for you.
KRISTI NOEM: It could be one of the crucial vital issues that we’d like to ensure we belief, is dependable, and that when it will get to election day that we have been proactive to make it possible for we have now the precise individuals voting, electing the precise leaders to steer this nation.
TAPPER: So, what does she imply when she says, electing the precise leaders? That is probably not immigration enforcement or DHS duty.
TOM HOMAN: I do not know. That’d be a query for the Secretary. If I needed to guess, most likely that, , solely these legally eligible to vote would vote. However I’ve not talked to the Secretary about these statements. That’d be one thing she’d need to reply.
TAPPER: This week, after 74 days, you declared the immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota formally over. I talked to a neighborhood Minnesota official who advised me the next, quote, Homan has been a straight shooter with us. He is simpler for us to work with as a result of he is a profession cop and he is aware of methods to discuss with our legislation enforcement. Noem and Bovino had been truly insane and never right here to do something apart from placed on a present, unquote.
Why do you suppose Noem and Bovino struggled a lot to work with native officers, the way in which you could have efficiently, and perform the sort of focused operations that you’ve got at all times advocated for?
HOMAN: Look, the president referred to as me and requested me to go to Minnesota and requested me to stand up there that very same day, and I went up there. I simply did issues the way in which I’ve carried out for 40 years.
And I do know lots of people questioned, why are you assembly with the governor? Why are you assembly with the legal professional basic and Mayor Frey? I’ve at all times been, you’ll be able to’t repair issues speaking in an echo chamber. You have to discuss to the individuals that you could be disagree with. Individuals have a special opinion on the way you’re doing it. I need to hear. I need to see what do you see as the difficulty? Why do you not agree with sure facets of the operation? That is the way you, in my expertise, that is the way you repair issues. You do not repair it in an echo chamber.
So I met with them, and look, we got here out, I feel it is safer in Minnesota, safer in Minneapolis, as a result of now we have now coordination within the jails that we did not have earlier than.
. . .
TAPPER: I imply, you sound like an grownup. You sound like an official who must be in command of issues since you work with native officers and search to deescalate and have focused operations.
However there’s this credibility subject now that DHS has had, not due to you, sir, however again and again, your colleagues who work on this subject, Noem, Bovino, DHS on social media, have stated issues to the American individuals which can be merely not true.
The latest instance, maybe, two immigration brokers final month stated that they shot a Venezuelan man in Minnesota after they had been attacked with shovels and broom handles. Noem went on social media. She attacked Governor Walz and Mayor Frey over what she referred to as an tried homicide of federal legislation enforcement. However then, testimony and video proven in court docket did not again up the declare, and now ICE and the Justice Division are investigating whether or not these immigration officers lied.
And we have seen numerous examples, once more, this isn’t you, however do you agree that there are individuals within the Trump administration which can be inflicting DHS to have a credibility downside?
HOMAN: Nicely, like I stated in my first press convention in Minnesota, in these feedback, the very first thing I believed I used to be going to do, and I did, was convey extra inside affairs officers to Minnesota to analyze the allegations. Allegations made, they have to be investigated. And, once more, I will not talk about the investigations. We’ll let the interior affairs and the Bureau examine these allegations, and that is the precise factor to do.
However I am not going to let the media divide this administration. Look, it is one staff, one battle.
And, , do me and Secretary Noem agree on all the things? No. We’ve discussions and we have now variations of opinion. That is what makes it a robust staff. We convey totally different concepts to the desk, then agree on a mission. However based mostly on, , once more, you’ll be able to’t work in an echo chamber. You need to hear totally different opinions, totally different, , the way you suppose this could occur or that ought to occur. However ultimately, we clear a mission. We’ve nice success on it.
However it is one staff, one battle. I am not going to divide this administration. I will simply hold doing what the president desires me to do because the border czar, and we’ll simply hold going and doing what the president promised the American individuals. We have probably the most safe border within the historical past of this nation, and we’re arresting report numbers of legal aliens on this nation and deporting them, and we’ll hold doing it.
TAPPER: So, I am not speaking about variations of opinion. I am simply speaking about details and issues that aren’t details. However I hear what you are saying. I am not going to get you to criticize anyone.
I recognize your time right now, Mr. Homan. Thanks a lot.
HOMAN: Thanks, sir.
