The telling sign Kristi Noem couldn't hide live on TV during Trump's Cabinet meeting... as White House reporters are left fuming
By Alex Hammer
Daily Mail
Jan 29, 2026
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's body language spoke volumes during her boss's cabinet meeting on Thursday, according to a body language expert
Kristi Noem's body language spoke volumes during her boss's cabinet meeting on Thursday, an expert said.
The embattled Department of Homeland Security secretary, for one, sat 'in a spot almost out of reach of the span of the cameras,' leading communication and body language analyst Judi James observed.
Noem, 54, also was one of the few Donald Trump cabinet members to sit through the entire summit in complete silence, James told The Daily Mail after her own viewing.
There were also no comments from Attorney General Pam Bondi, a day after the FBI searched the election office of a Georgia county central to right-wing conspiracies about Trump's election loss in 2020.
Noem, who is facing calls for her resignation following her botched response to the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti, was even less visible.
'There were a couple of glimpses of her cheekbones here, sitting with her shoulders and arms looking tense as her hands clasped the arms of her chair,' James recalled.
'Her torso was slightly slumped to suggest she had no expectation of speaking, as those who did speak were seen popping mints or candy from pockets to mouths and sitting poised and upright in poses of expectation.'
Trump, meanwhile, spoke for about a half hour, while allowing most of his cabinet to speak. He did not allow reporters to field questions, however - a surprise to CNN's Kaitlan Collins, who attended the meeting and vented to her colleagues soon after.
The embattled Department of Homeland Security secretary sat 'in a spot almost out of reach of the span of the cameras' slumped and out of view
CNN's Katilan Collins, after attending the meeting, complained about not being allowed to ask questions
'In a fairly unusual move, the meeting ended without the president taking questions from reporters,' Collins announced to News Central hosts Boris Sanchez and Brianna Keilar.
'He went around the room and called on a handful of cabinet secretaries, more than a handful, probably, actually,' the 33-year-old White House correspondent said.
'But one that he notably did not call on was standing to my left. And that was the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.'
She pointed out how the Homeland Security chief has been under 'intense scrutiny' as of late due to her comments Saturday that cast Pretti as a domestic terrorist. Those claims were quickly contradicted by footage filmed by bystanders.
Border czar Tom Homan has since been handed the reigns of Operation Metro Storm, as Trump continues to distance himself from Noem's rhetoric.
Asked on Tuesday whether Noem would be stepping down because of her comments, Trump shook his head and simply stated: 'No.'
Earlier in the week, the president called Pretti's death - as well as the fatal shooting of another 37-year-old protester, Renee Good - 'terrible.'
At the meeting Thursday, the conservative did not mention Minneapolis once.
'And obviously no questions about it were asked to the president because he did not take questions despite talking during the cabinet meeting about how he believes they are the most transparent administration ever,' Collins noted.
'It is incredibly rare for the president not to take questions, and I do think it is.'
Noem was also not asked to speak, as no mentions of Minneapolis of Minnesota were maid
Instead, the president spoke about the economy, interest rates, and other unrelated matters
Noem is facing calls to resign after claiming - without evidence - that 37-year-old protester fatally shot by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis on Saturday intended to harm law enforcement
Noem claimed two Border Patrol agents who had been taking part in Operation Metro Storm in Minneapolis on Saturday were defending themselves when they shot and killed Pretti.
Her only signal of joining in the discussion Thursday 'was a constant-looking nodding while anyone spoke,' James added.
Homan confirmed that immigration agents would be moving forward with 'targeted, strategic, enforcement operations' at a press conference in Minneapolis on Thursday.
'This is common sense cooperation that allows us to draw down the number of people we have here. Yes, I said it. Draw down the number of people here,' Homan told reporters, while also taking what appeared to be a shot at a notoriously not camera-shy Noem.
'I didn't come for photo ops or headlines'.
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