Megyn Kelly Unloads On Kristi Noem With Cutthroat Take On Her 'ICE Barbie' Photo Ops

Megyn Kelly has frequently expressed support for conservative politicians and Donald Trump's MAGA cohort — although she seems to be making an exception for Kristi Noem. Noem is now Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and has drawn some flack for her many photo ops in which she's posed with ICE and Border Patrol agents while decked out in body armor and carrying a rifle. Kelly added her voice to the chorus of critics pleading with Noem to stop pretending to be a law enforcement officer for publicity.

"Just stop trying to glamorize the mission and put yourself in the middle of it as you cosplay ICE agent, which you're not," the pundit said during an episode of "The Megyn Kelly Show" in April. Noem has earned herself the nickname "ICE Barbie" for some of her truly confusing costumes and the way she's shown up to actual raids and toured a prison in El Salvador while rocking head-to-toe glam and a gun.

Kelly's sentiments were echoed by many — both right-wing conservatives and left-wing critics — when Noem shared a video to X (formerly Twitter) in which Noem is seen standing between two ICE agents in Phoenix, Arizona, holding an AR-15 with the barrel inadvertently pointed up and at the head of one of the agents. "No one wants you there," Kelly declared, in reaction to the publicity stunt. "First of all, nobody ever wants the extra lady who doesn't actually belong. They just don't."

Kristi Noem has had many controversies, so it's not surprising that the staunch MAGA supporter has ruffled a few feathers. However, she's managed to not only earn the ire of Democrats, but many of her fellow conservatives alike, and her latest ICE photo op didn't help. Many fellow right-wingers came out to slam Noem for the way she held a rifle during her video, and criticized her for pretending to be an actual field operative.

"As a MAGA loyalist .... Please stop with the props for your videos. You're not pulling it off," one X user wrote, while another conservative and avowed 2nd Amendment champion said, "If you're going to make videos like this you have to be all in. If you're going to hold a kitted out SBR'd AR15 then you should be holding it correctly — the imagery isn't anywhere near as effective otherwise as you look like you're cosplaying."

Noem previously sparked outrage with her 2024 book, "No Going Back," in which she proudly wrote about executing the family's puppy. The admission likely cost Noem the chance to be Donald Trump's VP. However, her loyalty still earned her a position. Also, despite Megyn Kelly's excoriating remarks about her photo ops, Noem still earned some praise. Kelly said that, apart from the stunts, that she's "doing a great job. Her actual performance as DHS Secretary, in my view, anyway, has been amazing."