President Donald Trump had high praise for Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Friday, applauding her no-nonsense work on the southern border wall. At a press conference in the Oval Office, Trump pointed to a simple but effective change: painting the wall black so that would-be illegal immigrants would find it nearly impossible to scale.
Trump recounted how he asked Noem just two weeks earlier to “get a coat of paint” on the wall — black, specifically. “I didn’t know she was listening, but I said, ‘We gotta get a coat of paint, and it should be black because black makes the steel very hot. It’s untouchable, you could fry an egg on it, and if you got a good black, flat paint it would look beautiful, it will preserve it from rust, and that was it. And I gave it to her along with 30 other things and she’s done such a good job on the border with Tom Homan… Tom Homan’s a fantastic guy with the job he does and the way they work together. So I turn on last night and I see Kristi’s painting the wall, and it looked beautiful, by the way.”
Noem’s reply was just as straightforward: “It is beautiful, and it’s hot.”
That kind of practical, results-driven leadership is precisely what has been missing under the Biden administration. For years, Washington’s bureaucracy allowed border security to become a partisan talking point rather than a matter of national safety. What Noem and her team demonstrated is that strong borders are not only possible, they’re achievable with common-sense solutions and a willingness to act.
On Friday, Noem posted a video to social media showing herself alongside border patrol officers painting the wall. Her message to Americans was clear: “Our borders and country will remain secure. To the men and women hard at work finishing the wall, you are saving American lives and protecting our way of life. Thank you.”
Noem has consistently emphasized that border security is not optional. At a recent press conference at the wall in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, she reminded the country of a truth that Washington elites often ignore: “Remember that a nation without borders is no nation at all.”
She explained how the wall was designed with durability in mind. The sheer height makes climbing extremely difficult, while the structure also extends underground to prevent tunnels and digging. The black paint, she said, was Trump’s specific request, and it adds yet another layer of deterrence. In short, it’s a blend of strategy and strength that reflects a government working to protect its citizens, rather than handcuffing its own agents.
This approach is a sharp contrast to the Biden years. Under his watch, the wall was left unfinished and riddled with gaping holes — a symbol of reckless policies that undermined national security, strained communities, and encouraged lawlessness. In January, Trump’s deputies restarted construction, refusing to let political games continue endangering American families.
The wall has long stood as a dividing line — not just of geography, but of philosophy. One side sees it as a necessary safeguard to preserve order, sovereignty, and the rule of law. The other sees it as an inconvenience to be brushed aside in pursuit of open borders and political gain. Noem’s leadership, backed by Trump’s vision, sends the unmistakable message that America’s security will not be sacrificed to globalist experiments or bureaucratic neglect.
What unfolded this week was not just paint drying on steel. It was a reminder that effective government means doing the job, protecting the people, and preserving the nation’s way of life. And for millions of Americans, that is exactly the kind of leadership they want to see more of.
