ICE Barbie — aka Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem — is making headlines again, and not for a staged photo-op in tactical gear. This time, the drama around her department was explosive enough that it forced President Donald Trump to address it publicly. What began as whisp ers inside DHS has now spilled into a bombshell report describing a chaotic workplace, a fired pilot, and an alleged relationship so widely discussed that one FEMA official reportedly called it the “worst-kept secret in D.C.” When Trump was asked about the claims on camera, his reaction did little to quiet the speculation. U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem (R) speaks as U.S. President Donald Trump listens during a roundtable discussion in the State Dining Room of the White House on October 08, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) In a report published Feb. 12, The Wall Street Journal detailed what it described as a toxic culture inside DHS under Noem and her top adviser, Corey Lewandowski — Trump’s former 2016 campaign manager and now, unofficially, one of the most powerful figures inside the department. Lewandowski serves as Noem’s top adviser and de facto chief of staff. His role is technically unpaid — a special government employee classification that allows him to work up to 130 days a year without divesting outside business interests or filing full public disclosures. ‘Impeachment Is the Least of Their Worries’: White House Hits Publish on Something So Unhinged Even JD Vance Felt the Need to Jump In — and That’s When It Got Worse Inside DHS, the Journal reported, the pair routinely yell at senior staff, order polygraph tests for employees and fire aides with little warning. One episode described by people familiar with the matter involved Lewandowski firing a Coast Guard pilot because the pilot failed to retrieve a blanket belonging to Noem that had been left behind on another aircraft. The termination quickly backfired. After instructing the pilot to fly commercial home, Noem and Lewandowski reportedly had to reverse the decision when they could not secure another pilot to return them to Washington. Social media did not let that detail breathe. “She leaves her blankie on the plane and the pilot is fired by her fck buddy? Excuse me?” an angry Threads user posted. #BREAKING: Psaki: “…this story is about more than just Kristi and Corey’s childish behavior and their companionship. It’s also about their reckless spending on the taxpayer’s dime, because the [WSJ] matched earlier reporting from ProPublica which found that Kristi Noem spent… pic.twitter.com/JrjSVfULdP— Emoluments Clause (@Emolclause) February 15, 2026 Another joked, “My favorite part of this is that they had to unfire the pilot to take them home. Talk about not thinking a situation through.” Other remarks ranged from, “they’re just all … f-cking awful” to “Despicable.” The report also detailed how Noem and Lewandowski travel around on a $200 million luxury 737 MAX jet with a cabin in back intended for high-profile deportations. But perhaps the most startling revelation in the WSJ’s story is why Noem moved to Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling last August in what was first reported as a temporary relocation over security concerns. Last August, Noem moved into a government-owned waterfront home at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington — a residence typically reserved for the commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, which falls under DHS during peacetime. The official explanation: security concerns. A DHS spokeswoman said Noem pays rent and moved for increased safety. But the timing followed photos published by the Daily Mail showing Lewandowski walking back and forth between his apartment and Noem’s — located across the street from one another. The images intensified long-running rumors that the two were involved in a romantic relationship despite both being married. Both have denied the allegations. A DHS spokeswoman said the department “doesn’t waste time with salacious, baseless gossip.” Yet according to people cited by the Journal, Noem and Lewandowski make little effort to conceal their closeness inside the department. Lewandowski reportedly spends time at the military base residence as well. The scrutiny escalated this week when Trump was confronted directly about the alleged relationship during a press gaggle aboard Air Force One. “Recent news reports have discussed the possibility that Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski are in a close personal relationship. Is that a bad look? And do you think she’ll be in the job much longer?” a reporter asked boldly. View on Threads Trump’s reaction was telling. As the phrase “close personal relationship” was spoken, he closed his eyes and shook his head slightly. “I don’t know about that,” Trump said, feigning ignorance — a familiar maneuver critics often cite when he’s cornered. “I haven’t heard that … ahhh, I’ll find out about it. But I have not heard.” The response landed with a thud online. “Trumps stock answer when asked something that he knows all about… “I don’t know about that,” one user posted on X. Another wrote, “The guy who cheated on all of his wives has to check into whether that’s a bad look?” A third added, “All women are supposed to worship Trump so this definitely pisses him off.” For critics, the exchange on Air Force One wasn’t just about a rumor. It was about timing. Because while Trump publicly shrugged off questions about Noem’s alleged relationship with Lewandowski, reporting suggests her tenure has quietly become one of the administration’s biggest internal stress points. Early in the second term, Noem carved out $200 million from DHS’s budget for a nationwide advertising blitz warning undocumented immigrants to “leave now.” The ads featured Noem prominently, delivering the message directly to camera. According to a person familiar with internal discussions, Trump questioned aides about where the funding had come from. Inside the White House, some officials bristled at the scale of the campaign, viewing it as more about elevating Noem’s profile than reinforcing the administration’s broader message. Koh: I wish that Kristi Noem had as much passion for homeland security as she has passion for Corey Lewandowski. pic.twitter.com/d5jwQqd5ia— Acyn (@Acyn) February 14, 2026 The DHS spokeswoman said the campaign was coordinated and “tremendously successful.” But irritation reportedly extended beyond advertising. According to The Wall Street Journal, Noem has closely tracked how often she appears on television compared with other administration officials — particularly Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar. People familiar with internal dynamics said she has reacted sharply when Homan secured more airtime and has pushed aides to increase her own visibility. Homan, meanwhile, has complained to White House officials about both Noem and Lewandowski, according to people familiar with those conversations. Communication between the two has reportedly been limited. Several senior administration officials described DHS as a recurring source of headaches, citing what they view as resistance to White House guidance on messaging, events and internal management. This WSJ reader put it bluntly, “A contemptible woman, arrogant, vain, dishonest, and cruel…” ‘It Pisses Him Off’: Noem’s Inner-Circle Drama Just Blew Up — Then an Explosive Claim Hits the Cabinet and Trump’s Split-Second Reaction Is What Everyone’s Replaying ...read more read less