By Molly Goddard
1:54am PDT, Apr 2, 2025
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Homeland Security Secretary
Kristi Noem isn't sorry for posing in front of inmates in an El Salvador prison.
While appearing on Fox News'
Special Report on Monday, March 31, the member of
Donald Trump's administration staunchly defended sharing the video of herself standing by a cell packed with migrant gang members while she wore a pricey Rolex watch.
Join us to read about what Noem said about the controversial move…
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"People need to see that image," Kristi Noem told host
Bret Baier about the shot of herself surrounded by the shirtless, tattooed men incarcerated at the
facility.
"They need to see that the United States is going to use every tool that we have to make our communities safer, that that is a consequence of someone who is a terrorist," she explained. "The only people allowed in that prison are terrorists. And to tour that and to look at that, was giving the American people the transparency that they want out of their government."
"They were able to see exactly where we sending these people who have murdered and raped Americans, that have decimated communities and there's going to be consequences for individuals who continue to do that," Noem emphasized.
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During her headline-making visit, Kristi Noem rocked a gold Rolex Cosmograph Daytona watch — which reportedly retails for nearly $60,000.
"Nothing like wearing a 60K watch when going to another country to visit a prison for a photo op. Thanks, Kristi Noem, for wasting my
taxpayer money for another stunt, you weirdo," one X user wrote about the accessory.
"Corrupt to the bone," another person said, slamming the former governor of South Dakota.
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During the television appearance, Kristi Noem revealed she asked El Salvador President
Nayib Bukele directly if he would be willing to "take more of these terrorists?"
"And he said, 'Absolutely, we will. We will take the worst of the worst and make sure that they're facing
consequences for what they've done to your country,'" the Republican explained.
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In the Wednesday, March 26, video Kristi Noem shared to X, the official gave a haunting warning to anyone looking to come into America
illegally.
"This is one of the consequences you could face," she said in the video. "First of all, do not come to our country illegally. You will be removed and you will be prosecuted. But know that this facility is one of the tools in our toolkit that we will use if you commit crimes against the American people."
