The intelligence of U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem came under scrutiny on The View after she was unable to define habeas corpus during a recent Senate hearing.
Alyssa Farah Griffin and Sunny Hostin expressed skepticism about Noem’s understanding, debating whether she truly comprehended what habeas corpus means after she mistakenly identified it as the “constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country.”
Despite Griffin’s own reservations about Noem, she did come to her aid by stating, “Kristi Noem may be a puppy killer, she’s not unintelligent. She has previously served in Congress,” alluding to Noem’s narrative of shooting her dog Cricket in her memoir, according to BBC. Noem justified the action at that time, stating on social media, “We love animals, but on a farm, tough decisions like this occur regularly.”
Joy Behar wondered if Noem was possibly pandering to President Donald Trump with her controversial answer.
“Is it possible that she actually knows what habeas corpus is but she’s appealing to an audience of one? And we know who he is,” she asked.
While Griffin agreed, adding, “Yes, she gave the answer Trump wanted, I don’t think she’s dumb,” Hostin didn’t seem to have much faith in Noem’s abilities.
“I think the puppy killer is not that smart and I also think she is not a lawyer, she does not know,” Hostin claimed.
When Griffin fired back, “You don’t have to be a lawyer to know what habeas corpus is,” Hostin maintained, “The average person doesn’t know it and I don’t think Kristi Noem knows it.”
Though Noem and Griffin were ruthlessly going after Noem, the debate was rather lighthearted for The View.
Griffin even recommended more people would know what habeas corpus is if they watched Legally Blond. “She explains it excellently,” she said with a laugh.
The View airs on weekdays at 11/10c on ABC.
