Former Michigan congressman Justin Amash issued a scathing rebuke of President Donald Trump and his administration this week following a viral moment involving Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The controversy unfolded after Noem failed to correctly define habeas corpus during a Senate hearing on Tuesday, prompting widespread criticism.
Amash, a longtime critic of Trump who left the Republican Party during Trump’s first term, took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his dismay. “The dumbest people are in charge,” Amash wrote. “And it’s not an accident. They weren’t chosen for competence or constitutional adherence. They were chosen for spineless sycophancy.”
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The comment came after a particularly awkward exchange on Capitol Hill. During the hearing, Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) asked Noem to define habeas corpus, a fundamental legal principle embedded in the U.S. Constitution that protects against unlawful detention.
Noem fumbled through an incorrect explanation before being corrected by Hassan, highlighting a lack of basic constitutional knowledge in a key Cabinet-level position. The moment left political observers, constitutional scholars, and former lawmakers like Amash stunned.
Amash, a former Republican who represented Michigan’s 3rd congressional district for a decade, has long been an advocate for civil liberties and strict constitutional interpretation. He once belonged to the conservative House Freedom Caucus but broke with Trump over issues of executive overreach and the president’s handling of various legal and political controversies.
After leaving the GOP, Amash became the first and only member of the Libertarian Party to serve in Congress. He later attempted a return to Republican politics, running for the U.S. Senate last year, though he lost in the primary. Amash also quoted Austrian-British economist and political philosopher Friedrich Hayek in his post, further underlining his libertarian roots.
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Hayek, a favorite among libertarians and small-government advocates, was known for his warnings about centralized power and the erosion of individual freedoms. The exchange and the subsequent backlash underscore a persistent concern among critics of Trump’s leadership—that loyalty often trumped qualifications when it came to appointments.
Amash’s remarks reignite that debate as the Republican Party navigates its post-Trump identity. As the hearing clip continues to circulate online, Amash’s blunt criticism is resonating with those who fear that constitutional illiteracy among top officials is not just embarrassing but dangerous in a democracy.
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