This Is A TOTAL DISASTER For Kristi Noem! - Bulwark Takes

Summary

Bulwark Takes: This Is A TOTAL DISASTER For Kristi Noem!

Release Date: June 5, 2025
Hosted by: Tim Miller and Sam Stein, The Bulwark

1. Introduction to the Controversial Case (00:00 - 02:00)

Tim Miller opens the episode by discussing a perplexing and alarming story that intertwines the harsh realities of the Trump-era immigration policies with the evident incompetence within the administration. The case in focus involves a fabricated assassination threat against President Trump, which has been manipulated for political gain.

Key Points:

An undocumented immigrant in Wisconsin, Ramon Morales Reyes, was falsely accused of threatening to kill President Trump.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) publicly condemned Reyes, highlighting his capture as a triumph of ICE operations.
However, the true author of the threat was Dmytryk Scott, an individual facing robbery charges in Milwaukee County.

Notable Quote:

Tim Miller (00:45): "Kristi Noem went on to saying, thanks to our ICE officers, this illegal alien who threatened to assassinate President Trump is behind bars."

2. Unraveling the Fraudulent Threat (02:01 - 05:00)

Sam Stein delves deeper into the intricacies of the case, emphasizing the deliberate nature of the setup orchestrated by Scott to derail the legal proceedings against him.

Key Points:

Dmytryk Scott, facing trial for alleged robbery, forged the assassination threat to silence witnesses, specifically targeting Reyes.
The forged letter falsely identified Reyes as the perpetrator, including misleading details like self-deportation intentions to fabricate an illegal status.
Kristi Noem and the DHS readily accepted and publicized the fraudulent threat without sufficient verification, showcasing a lapse in due diligence.

Notable Quote:

Sam Stein (02:10): "That's the story that she bought hook, line and sinker. Like the stupidest, stupidest setup."

3. Critique of Kristi Noem and DHS's Response (05:01 - 06:30)

The hosts criticize Kristi Noem's administration and the DHS for their rapid acceptance and promotion of the fraudulent narrative without reassessing the evidence once inconsistencies emerged.

Key Points:

Reyes, despite being innocent of the threat, remains in custody, highlighting the systemic failure to correct misinformation.
The DHS has not retracted or corrected the press release, even after recognizing the note as a forgery.
This reluctance to amend official statements undermines public trust and perpetuates a misleading narrative.

Notable Quote:

Sam Stein (03:19): "It's just important to say it explicitly. The setup worked like the criminal conspiracy worked."

4. Broader Implications on Immigration Policies and Public Perception (06:31 - 07:50)

Tim Miller and Sam Stein explore the larger ramifications of this incident on immigration policies and the portrayal of immigrants in public discourse.

Key Points:

The incident exemplifies how flimsy or fabricated threats are exploited to further anti-immigration agendas.
Politicians, including figures like Marsha Blackburn, have echoed the sentiment, using the case to justify stringent immigration measures.
The misuse of such cases for political gain contributes to the stigmatization of undocumented immigrants and fuels divisive rhetoric.

Notable Quote:

Tim Miller (07:37): "It's all designed to get press releases... They just want out there."

5. Systemic Failures and Calls for Accountability (07:51 - 08:27)

The discussion shifts towards the necessity for skepticism and verification of official statements, emphasizing the need for systemic accountability within agencies like DHS.

Key Points:

The hosts urge listeners to remain vigilant and critical of official narratives, especially those that seem to align too neatly with political agendas.
There’s a call for higher standards and accountability mechanisms to prevent the misuse of immigration enforcement for political posturing.
The ongoing saga serves as a cautionary tale about the potential for abuse within government agencies when oversight is lax.

Notable Quote:

Sam Stein (07:51): "You need to be skeptical of it. Doesn't mean that they're not going to be right, but like you can't."

Conclusion

Tim Miller and Sam Stein provide a scathing critique of the Trump administration's handling of immigration enforcement, particularly highlighting the misuse of immigration policies for political gain. The fraudulent assassination threat against President Trump serves as a stark example of systemic failures and the dangers of unverified public statements. The hosts call for greater accountability and a more discerning public approach to official narratives, urging listeners to remain informed and critical of the information disseminated by government entities.

Subscribe to Bulwark Takes: Stay updated with the latest analyses and discussions from The Bulwark team by subscribing to their podcast feed.

Transcript

Tim Miller (0:00)

Hey, guys. Tim Miller with the Bulwark back here with managing editor Sam Stein. We had a. Just a jarring story that combines kind of the horror of the Trump immigration regime with the absurdity and like, veepish incompetence of the Trump administration all in one package with a little, kind of assassination conspiracy. A little cruelty. Yeah, and a dollop of assassination conspiracy on top. So we're, we're getting a lot there. So the Times story, which we'll put up here, if you want to read the whole thing. An immigrant was accused of threatening to Trump. Prosecutors say he was framed. Here's the short of it. We have an undocumented immigrant in Wisconsin. And the Department of Homeland Security put out a press release saying that this person had threatened to kill the President and then self deport myself back to Mexico. Kristi Noem went on to saying, thanks to our ICE officers, this illegal alien who threatened to assassinate President Trump is behind bars. Here's the problem. The guy, Ramon Morales Reyes, was not the person who wrote the letter threatening to assassinate the President. It was another guy, Dmytryk Scott, who is apparently a thief, and he was going to be going to trial for an alleged robbery charge. The Milwaukee county prosecutors have called in Reyes to testify against the thief. I guess he had been an eyewitness. And so Scott, the alleged thief, decided that one way to silence the person that was gonna testify against him was to write these letters threatening to assassinate Trump and pretending to be the undocumented immigrant and then saying in the messages like, I'm undocumented. That's why the letter said, I will self deport myself back to Mexico. It said that because he wanted them to know. FYI, blinking light. You Trump administration, you hate these immigrants, you hate the Browns. Go after this gu. And Kristi Noem bought it hook, line and sinker.

Sam Stein (2:01)

I mean, that's the thing. That's the story that she bought at Hook, Line and Sink. Like the stupidest, stupidest setup. I mean, actually, it's not that stupid. It's kind of like perversely disgusting. But whatever. To be duped that quickly and then to run out to the cameras and be like, we got them, we got them. And then to not imagine it just.

Tim Miller (2:20)

Shows how excitable they are. Right, exactly.

Sam Stein (2:23)

Just anything to get in front of a camera and to issue a press release and to talk about how your doing God's work by deporting these people who are threatening, you know, the President and then to have no fucking shame. Or I would say to have no Confidence to admit that you screwed it up and to just restore, try your best to restore balance. They've not done anything like that. In fact, the press release they put out with the forged note, it's a forged note, is up on the DHS website currently as we speak. I mean, think about that. They know this note is a forgery used to set up someone in a, like, criminal conspiracy, and they're not even taking it off the government website. No issue, no correction issued. They're just going to let, let it ride. It's just.

Summary

Bulwark Takes: This Is A TOTAL DISASTER For Kristi Noem!

Release Date: June 5, 2025
Hosted by: Tim Miller and Sam Stein, The Bulwark

1. Introduction to the Controversial Case (00:00 - 02:00)

Key Points:

An undocumented immigrant in Wisconsin, Ramon Morales Reyes, was falsely accused of threatening to kill President Trump.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) publicly condemned Reyes, highlighting his capture as a triumph of ICE operations.
However, the true author of the threat was Dmytryk Scott, an individual facing robbery charges in Milwaukee County.

Notable Quote:

Tim Miller (00:45): "Kristi Noem went on to saying, thanks to our ICE officers, this illegal alien who threatened to assassinate President Trump is behind bars."

2. Unraveling the Fraudulent Threat (02:01 - 05:00)

Sam Stein delves deeper into the intricacies of the case, emphasizing the deliberate nature of the setup orchestrated by Scott to derail the legal proceedings against him.

Key Points:

Dmytryk Scott, facing trial for alleged robbery, forged the assassination threat to silence witnesses, specifically targeting Reyes.
The forged letter falsely identified Reyes as the perpetrator, including misleading details like self-deportation intentions to fabricate an illegal status.
Kristi Noem and the DHS readily accepted and publicized the fraudulent threat without sufficient verification, showcasing a lapse in due diligence.

Notable Quote:

Sam Stein (02:10): "That's the story that she bought hook, line and sinker. Like the stupidest, stupidest setup."

3. Critique of Kristi Noem and DHS's Response (05:01 - 06:30)

The hosts criticize Kristi Noem's administration and the DHS for their rapid acceptance and promotion of the fraudulent narrative without reassessing the evidence once inconsistencies emerged.

Key Points:

Reyes, despite being innocent of the threat, remains in custody, highlighting the systemic failure to correct misinformation.
The DHS has not retracted or corrected the press release, even after recognizing the note as a forgery.
This reluctance to amend official statements undermines public trust and perpetuates a misleading narrative.

Notable Quote:

Sam Stein (03:19): "It's just important to say it explicitly. The setup worked like the criminal conspiracy worked."

4. Broader Implications on Immigration Policies and Public Perception (06:31 - 07:50)

Tim Miller and Sam Stein explore the larger ramifications of this incident on immigration policies and the portrayal of immigrants in public discourse.

Key Points:

The incident exemplifies how flimsy or fabricated threats are exploited to further anti-immigration agendas.
Politicians, including figures like Marsha Blackburn, have echoed the sentiment, using the case to justify stringent immigration measures.
The misuse of such cases for political gain contributes to the stigmatization of undocumented immigrants and fuels divisive rhetoric.

Notable Quote:

Tim Miller (07:37): "It's all designed to get press releases... They just want out there."

5. Systemic Failures and Calls for Accountability (07:51 - 08:27)

The discussion shifts towards the necessity for skepticism and verification of official statements, emphasizing the need for systemic accountability within agencies like DHS.

Key Points:

The hosts urge listeners to remain vigilant and critical of official narratives, especially those that seem to align too neatly with political agendas.
There’s a call for higher standards and accountability mechanisms to prevent the misuse of immigration enforcement for political posturing.
The ongoing saga serves as a cautionary tale about the potential for abuse within government agencies when oversight is lax.

Notable Quote:

Sam Stein (07:51): "You need to be skeptical of it. Doesn't mean that they're not going to be right, but like you can't."

Conclusion

Subscribe to Bulwark Takes: Stay updated with the latest analyses and discussions from The Bulwark team by subscribing to their podcast feed.