President Trump has dismissed reports suggesting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem might resign, stating she is “a star” and he is “very happy with her performance.”

Speaking ahead of a speaking event in Iowa, the president firmly denied that Noem would step down when directly asked about the possibility. Trump emphasized his full support for the secretary and the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts to deport illegal immigrants.

In a statement that included praise for Noem, Trump described her work as having “stopped the illegal border crossings – the numbers are the lowest they’ve been in DECADES.” He added, “She’s tough on immigration, built parts of the wall, and she’s getting results. Why would I be unhappy? She’s a STAR, and I’m very happy with her performance.”

The comments followed heightened scrutiny on Noem after federal agents killed two U.S. citizens in Minnesota this month. The incidents occurred during an incident where Alex Pretti was shot at roughly 10 times by immigration agents after filming them with his phone camera.

Following the incident, Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania has called for Noem’s immediate removal from office. In a post on X, Fetterman accused Noem of “betraying” the Department of Homeland Security’s central mission and criticized her handling of border security.

“I make a direct appeal to immediately fire Sec. Noem,” Fetterman wrote. “Americans have died. She is betraying DHS’s core mission and trashing your border security legacy. DO NOT make the mistake President Biden made for not firing a grossly incompetent DHS Secretary.”

The meeting between Trump and Noem occurred on Monday evening in the Oval Office, where they discussed immigration strategy with her top aide, Corey Lewandowski. The discussion took place after Noem requested to see the president, according to sources speaking anonymously.

During the meeting, Trump did not indicate that either Noem’s or Lewandowski’s positions were at risk. However, it was described as a sign of concern by the president over bipartisan criticism regarding the administration’s response to the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.