South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said Gov. Tim Walz rejected an offer of federal assistance as protests and federal operations continued in Minneapolis following a fatal Jan. 7 officer-involved shooting and a separate non-fatal incident. Noem accused some media outlets of misrepresenting the events and criticized Democratic leaders for inflammatory rhetoric. She said she personally offered DHS support and gave Walz her cell number; Walz reportedly said they view the situation differently. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has criticized ICE's presence, and Walz's office did not respond to requests for comment.
Gov. Kristi Noem Says Tim Walz Declined Federal Help as Protests Continue in Minneapolis
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem participates in a roundtable discussion with local ranchers and U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees in Brownsville, Texas, on Jan. 7.(Getty Images)
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem said Minnesota Governor Tim Walz declined an offer of federal assistance she relayed as tensions continued in Minneapolis, where federal agents have been operating amid protests. The unrest follows a fatal officer-involved shooting on Jan. 7 and a separate non-fatal incident earlier this week.
Noem criticized parts of the media for what she called misrepresentations of recent events and accused some Democratic leaders of inflaming unrest with "reckless" rhetoric. She also said she personally called Walz to offer help and urged local leaders to protect their communities.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announces he will not seek re-election during a press conference at the state Capitol in St. Paul Jan. 5.
"Gov. Tim Walz has my phone number. I have called him and talked to him and said, 'Listen, you let your city burn down in 2020. Don’t do it again,'" Noem said Thursday on America's Newsroom.
Noem disputed descriptions of the recent non-fatal incident as simply an "ICE shooting," saying reporters omitted details about weapons and an alleged attack. She accused the media of leaving out that, in her account, the person involved was forced to defend himself.
"You see a lot of news reports out there that it was another ICE shooting. They didn’t report anything about the weapons or the fact that these individuals came out of a home to beat him mercilessly with a shovel and that he had to protect his own life," she said.
Noem said she told Walz she had offered the support of the Department of Homeland Security and that local leaders should not give ground to violent protesters and rioters. She said she also provided Walz with her personal cell number and offered to back up state and local authorities if called.
Protesters clash with law enforcement outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement center in Minneapolis Jan. 8.
"I said, 'You have my personal cell phone. You call me. If you need me, you call me. We will be there to help back you up — but protect your city, protect your state,'" Noem said.
According to Noem, Walz responded that they view the situation in Minnesota differently. Walz and other Democratic officials have criticized federal immigration-enforcement operations in the state; Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has repeatedly condemned ICE's presence and said it contributes to what he described as statewide "chaos."
Fox News Digital said it reached out to Walz's press office for comment but had not received a response by press time.
Note: Kristi Noem is the governor of South Dakota. She is not the U.S. Department of Homeland Security secretary; any reference identifying her as such was incorrect.
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