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Hey there, it's the NPR Politics Podcast. I'm Tamara Keith. I cover the White House. I'm

Hima Bustio and I cover immigration. And I'm Domenico Montanaro, senior political editor and correspondent.

And today on the show, an Epstein Files update. But first, a shake-up, President Trump has fired his

Secretary of Homeland Security, Christy Knoam. Hima, she had been plagued by scandal and controversy for months. So why now?

Right. Secretary Noem, or soon to be former, Secretary Noem has had one PR challenge after another,

particularly to kick off the year. Christy Noam testified twice this week before Congress once for a House judiciary, a second

time for Senate judiciary.

And, you know, we knew she was going to face a lot of tough questions, obviously, from Democrats,

but she also faced a lot of tough questions from some Republicans, notably in the Senate,

that raised questions about how

she has handled disaster relief in their states or how she has spent money for her agency.

There was one key exchange with Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, who is a solid Trump ally,

and he pressed her on expensive ad campaigns that she

ran last year that really profiled her and centered around immigration, calling on people

to self-deport or come here, quote, the right way. The president approved ahead of time,

you spending $220 million running TV ads across the country in which you are featured prominently.

Yes, sir.

We went through the legal processes.

Did it correct?

Did the president know you were going to do this?

...