President Donald Trump has privately expressed frustration with Kristi Noem and questioned whether he should dismiss her from her position, according to sources familiar with the conversations. The discussions reportedly occurred following Noem's recent Senate hearing.

Trump has reached out to Republican officials and top allies to gauge their opinions on potentially firing Noem, the sources indicated. The timing of these private conversations coincides with increased scrutiny surrounding Noem's leadership.

Separately, Noem is facing lawmaker scrutiny over a $220 million advertising campaign that she has been defending. The campaign has drawn questions from legislators who are examining the expenditure and its justification.

Noem appeared before senators in a hearing that sources suggest contributed to Trump's reported frustration. The specific details of what occurred during the hearing that may have prompted the president's reaction were not immediately clear.

The reported private conversations represent a potential shift in Trump's confidence in Noem, who has been a prominent Republican figure. The combination of the Senate hearing performance and the advertising campaign controversy appears to have created challenges for her position.

Neither Trump's team nor Noem's office immediately responded to requests for comment about the reported discussions regarding her future.