Melanie Stansbury

Rep. Melanie Stansbury, a Democrat representing New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District, shared a video of herself and her dog outside the U.S. Capitol following the removal of Kristi Noem as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

The post came one day after Noem was removed from the role following a contentious appearance on Capitol Hill. President Donald Trump announced he would nominate Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace her, ending months of speculation about Noem’s future in the administration.

Newsweek reached out to Rep. Melanie Stansbury via email for comment.

Why It Matters

Noem had been a prominent public face of the Trump administration’s immigration and security policies during her 13 months leading the Department of Homeland Security. Her removal has prompted widespread reaction in Washington and across social media.

Stansbury’s post alongside her dachshund puppy stood out among those responses, quickly circulating online alongside commentary and memes following the announcement.

What to Know

In a video posted to X, Stansbury appeared with her young dog outside the Capitol building. Alongside the clip, she wrote: “We’re all celebrating out here at the Capitol! #ByeKristi.”

The post drew attention as reactions to Noem’s removal spread online. Some social media users linked the video to Noem’s past comments about killing her puppy, which she described in her book.

In her 2024 book No Going Back: The Truth on What's Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward, Noem wrote that she chose to shoot a 14‑month‑old puppy because she believed the dog was “untrainable,” an incident she said took place around 20 years ago.

What People Are Saying

DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement: “Good riddance, Kristi Noem. Her tenure was a disaster for the American people—from waging a campaign of unconstitutional brutality that terrorized our communities, locked up toddlers, and killed two U.S. citizens in Minnesota, to using taxpayer dollars as a slush fund to pay for her luxurious lifestyle.”

Representative Andrew Garbarino, a New York Republican and chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security, previously told Newsweek: "I thank Secretary Noem for her service to our country. I look forward to continuing this Committee’s important work alongside DHS Secretary nominee Mullin, and I call for his swift confirmation. In the meantime, I urge my Democrat colleagues to make the right decision and stop playing dangerous games with DHS funding. As threats from Iran escalate, America must be fully prepared to respond to and mitigate heightened threats to the homeland.”

In a video on Threads, Rep. Melanie Stansbury said: “I'm coming to you with more news from the Capitol and the reality television show that we all would like to stop watching, which is the Donald Trump presidency. And that is today, he fired Kristi Noem as DHS secretary. Now I think it goes without saying that millions of us are celebrating.”

What Happens Next

Following her removal as DHS secretary, Noem publicly responded on X after Trump announced she would take on a new role as special envoy for the Shield of the Americas. In her post, Noem thanked Trump and pointed to what she described as “historic accomplishments” during her time leading the department.

The White House said the Shield of the Americas initiative reflects an effort to shift U.S. national security strategy toward the Western Hemisphere.

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