GOP senator blocks Trump DHS nominees until Noem testifies before Senate

Summary of the Fox News Article (Published January 9, 2026):

A Republican senator, **Thom Tillis** of North Carolina, announced he is placing holds on **future Department of Homeland Security (DHS) nominees** under President Donald Trump until **DHS Secretary Kristi Noem** agrees to appear and testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Tillis emphasized that Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman **Chuck Grassley** had sent two separate invitations for Noem to testify—one in June and another in September—but she has not confirmed or scheduled an appearance, which he called “unacceptable.” He stated: “My chairman has made two requests in this Congress to have the Homeland Security Secretary come before the committee, and they have yet to confirm that they’re coming… That is unacceptable, and so I am putting a hold on anything related to Homeland Security measures until we get an agreement and a scheduled time to come for committee at the least.”

Tillis clarified that the hold would not affect disaster response measures related to DHS, noting: “The only thing that moves through Homeland Security where I will consider an exception would be having anything to do with the disaster response.”

The article notes this action came after Noem held a press conference in New York City on January 8, 2026, announcing results of “Operation Salvo.” It also specifies that Tillis’s blockade is **not** related to a recent fatal shooting involving an ICE agent (Renee Nicole Goode in Minneapolis), despite ongoing scrutiny around DHS and ICE activities.

This move highlights tensions within the Republican Party, as Senate Republicans have otherwise been confirming Trump’s nominees at a rapid pace. The article frames it as another instance of Tillis pushing back against the Trump administration (citing his past breaks on issues like Medicaid cuts, Greenland-related comments, and votes on Venezuela military resolutions). He has also announced he will not seek re-election.

The DHS did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment on the matter. Specific future DHS nominees are not named in the article, but the holds apply broadly to the agency’s pending picks.

SOURCE: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/gop-senator-blocks-trump-dhs-nominees-until-noem-testifies-before-senate.amp