Today we dug into the Kristi Noem shake-up and the way everyone’s trying to spin it. Call it whatever you want—“reassigned,” “moved,” “Western Shield” whatever—this wasn’t a lateral move, and pretending otherwise doesn’t help. We talked about what likely set the stage for it, including the frustration that Homeland Security started looking like a personal branding vehicle (that self-deportation ad campaign being the clearest example). At the same time, we pushed back on the idea that this signals a collapsing Trump administration—polling shows Trump is still running extremely strong, especially with Republicans, and the broader media narrative doesn’t match what the numbers say.
Then we went hard at Idaho’s House Bill 745: no taxpayer-funded time, systems, or payroll support for union activity. The more we talked through it, the more it felt like a “how was this ever allowed?” moment—teachers doing union work while on the clock, districts not reimbursed, automatic dues deductions processed through payroll, unions using taxpayer-funded email systems, and paid leave for union business. We also called out the lawmakers who voted no and questioned how some of the loudest “not a dollar more” voices on education spending can shrug when education dollars effectively subsidize union operations. We wrapped with Open Phones Friday: listeners broadened the conversation into Iran history and foreign policy, union culture, and why the “protect your own” mentality can keep bad actors in place—plus, yes, we got surprise-delivered several bags of Bugles, which became its own unexpected subplot.
## Highlights
– Kristi Noem’s exit: why “reassigned” doesn’t pass the smell test, and what may have led to it
– HB 745: ending taxpayer-supported union activity (on-the-clock time, payroll deductions, email systems, paid leave)
– Trump approval: strong support within the GOP, and why the “everyone hates Trump” storyline doesn’t hold up
– Open lines: Iran history, leadership failures, and union accountability debates
– Studio for Covers: BYU–Idaho a cappella group **Musai** performed “The Weather” (Lawrence)
Let’s talk advertising. When you want to advertise on the radio, you call the station, right? But what about Facebook, Instagram, Hulu, Disney+, Peacock, and other streaming platforms?
You could try clicking around, reading books, or taking online courses to figure it out—or you can let us handle it. At Sandhill Media Group, we’re your local experts in both radio and digital marketing.
Visit SandhillMediaGroup.com today.
