Which Republican senators have publicly called for Noem to resign and what reasons did they give?

1. Who spoke up: the two Republican senators

Senators Lisa Murkowski and Thom Tillis were among the first Republican members of Congress to call for Noem’s departure, with multiple outlets reporting they explicitly said she should resign or be ousted ^{[1] [2]}. News organizations from NBC to Alaska Public Media and TIME identified Murkowski and Tillis as GOP lawmakers breaking with the party to demand accountability ^{[1] [2] [3]}.

2. The immediate trigger: Minneapolis shootings and Noem’s public statements

Both senators’ calls came in the wake of two fatal shootings tied to the surge of federal immigration agents in Minnesota and particularly the killing of Alex Pretti, a 37‑year‑old ICU nurse, which sparked bipartisan outrage ^{[5] [2]}. Tillis criticized Noem for labeling Pretti a “domestic terrorist” without evidence, saying her description and the department’s actions were unacceptable and that such conduct should disqualify her from leading DHS ^{[4] [2]}.

3. Murkowski’s rationale: lost confidence and “other issues”

Murkowski framed her position as a loss of confidence rooted in what she called broader concerns beyond the Minnesota operations; she said she had supported Noem’s nomination and had “great hopes,” but was disappointed and believed there were “other issues” that needed to be addressed, signaling a judgment about performance and judgment rather than a single misstep ^[3]. Alaska Public Media similarly reported Murkowski saying Noem “should not be running DHS” and tying accountability for the operations to Noem’s leadership ^[2].

4. Tillis’s rationale: amateurish management and political consequences

Tillis was blunt: he described Noem’s handling of the situation in Minnesota as “amateurish,” “terrible,” and “disqualifying,” arguing her actions were damaging to the administration’s policy accomplishments and the president’s credibility ^[2]. He also pointed to what he saw as Noem’s poor management of other portfolio elements—citing her past comments about FEMA—as evidence that her tenure reflected broader missteps beyond the immediate crisis ^[3].

5. How these GOP criticisms fit into the wider response

The Republican calls for resignation arrived amid a broader, mostly Democratic push for Noem’s removal or impeachment and growing demands for investigations into DHS operations; Senate leaders and many Democrats publicly sought firings or formal accountability even as most GOP senators stayed publicly reserved ^{[6] [5] [7]}. Coverage notes that Murkowski and Tillis stood out precisely because many in the GOP were reluctant to rebuke Noem publicly, and their statements represented a notable fracture ^{[3] [8]}.

6. Counterpoints and political fallout

President Trump defended Noem and called Tillis and Murkowski “losers” on television after their comments, underscoring the split between the White House’s support and the senators’ rebukes ^{[9] [10]}. Other Senate Republicans emphasized the need for a thorough, independent investigation rather than immediate removal, reflecting an alternative GOP approach focused on inquiry and oversight ^{[7] [8]}.

7. Limits of the record and what remains unresolved

Public reporting clearly identifies Murkowski and Tillis as Republican senators calling for Noem’s resignation and documents their stated reasons, but available sources do not provide private motives beyond the senators’ public remarks, nor do they resolve disputed factual claims about specific characterizations Noem used or the full chain of operational decisions inside DHS; those details remain the subject of ongoing investigations and congressional oversight ^{[1] [7]}.