A testimony from outgoing Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem this week triggered an explosive response from President Donald Trump, who reportedly called Senator John Kennedy “mad as a murder hornet” after hearing what Noem claimed under oath.
During a recent Senate hearing, Noem was pressed about the massive ad buy. Her testimony suggested that the campaign had been approved at the highest level, indicating that President Trump had signed off on the project.
According to reporting from Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin, Senator Kennedy revealed that the situation escalated quickly behind the scenes.
Kennedy said that before the hearing, he had already heard concerns about the enormous $200 million contract. But once Noem publicly indicated the president had authorized it, the issue immediately reached the White House.
And Trump was reportedly livid.
According to Kennedy, the president personally called him to make clear that he had not approved the ad campaign, and that he was furious his name had been attached to the controversial spending.
The Louisiana senator described Trump’s reaction bluntly.
The president, Kennedy said, was “mad as a murder hornet.”
“I heard the Secretary say that she went to the President and said, I propose to spend a quarter billion dollars on TV advertisements in which I am the star, and the President thought that was a swell idea, that’s what I heard the Secretary say. Her version of the truth and the President’s version of the truth are decidedly different,” Sen. Kennedy told Melugin.
Melugin wrote on X:
Everything we know on what led up to Noem’s dismissal.
Started with the chaos in Minneapolis, and reached a climax on Tuesday. Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) told reporters he was “offended” when he heard about a $200 million ad contract for DHS that Noem was featured heavily in. He called the White House before her testimony in the Senate on Tuesday, and told them he was “gonna have something to say about it.” Sen. Kennedy says the WH “didn’t try to talk me out of it.”
During the hearing, Sen. Kennedy pinned Noem down on details of the contract, and whether or not President Trump personally approved and signed off on it. She testified, under oath, that yes he did.
Kennedy just told reporters here on the Hill that President Trump called him after that hearing and was “mad as a murder hornet” about Noem’s testimony, saying he never approved the contract nor was he aware of it.
Sen. Kennedy then says Trump pitched Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to him and asked him what he thought about him.
So it appears that President Trump was floating firing Noem Tuesday night after her testimony on the Hill.
Additionally, there had been frustrations about handling of staff at DHS, as well as repeated allegations of an affair with Corey Lewandowski.
The straw that broke the camel’s back was the Tuesday testimony and the exchange with Sen. Kennedy.
A source also told Fox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy:
“It was time. Replacing Kristi was based on the culmination of her many unfortunate leadership mishaps including the fallout in Minnesota, the $200 million dollars ad campaign, the allegations of infidelity, the mismanagement of her staff, and her constant feuding with the heads of other agencies, including CBP and ICE. Kristi’s drama sadly overshadowed and distracted from the Administration’s extremely popular immigration agenda, which will continue full force.”
WATCH:
In an interview with the press, Sen. Kennedy confirmed that Trump contacted him directly and revealed additional details about his phone call with Trump following the hearing.
“The president, when he called me Tuesday night, the night of the hearing, when he was mad as a murder hornet, he asked me what I thought about Markwayne.”
Kennedy said he gave Trump a blunt assessment of Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin.
“A. I like him.”
“B. He’s very smart.”
“C. He’s a very good businessman.”
Kennedy then added his signature humor when describing the conversation:
“D. If I didn’t believe the three things I just told you, I’d lie to you because Markwayne would whip my a.”**
WATCH:
SEN. KENNEDY: “The president, when he called me Tuesday night, the night of the hearing, when he was mad as a murder hornet, he asked me what I thought about Markwayne.”
“A. I like him.”
“B. He’s very smart.”
“C. He’s a very good businessman.”
“D. If I didn’t believe the… pic.twitter.com/xRRhSH1o6w
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 5, 2026
The post UPDATE: Trump “Mad as a Murder Hornet” Calls Sen. John Kennedy After Kristi Noem Claims He Approved $200M DHS Immigration Ad Contract appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.