Retired U.S. Navy commander Phil Ehr has expressed his intention to resign from the advisory board of NovaRed Mining Inc. if Kristi Noem continues in her role with the company. Vancouver-based NovaRed announced last week that it had appointed Noem, the former U.S. secretary of homeland security, as a strategic adviser.

Noem was dismissed from her cabinet position by then-President Donald Trump in March following months of controversy, which included an aggressive immigration crackdown and a $220 million taxpayer-funded advertising campaign. After her dismissal, Trump appointed her as Special Envoy to the Shield of the Americas.

Ehr, a Democratic candidate for Congress in the United States, cited fundamental disagreements with Noem’s political views as reasons for his potential departure. He also criticized her previous publicly reported support for Trump’s suggestion that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state and referred to controversial remarks she made about shooting her own dog.

In an interview, Ehr said he was not consulted about Noem’s hiring and questioned NovaRed’s decision to bring on advisers with such polarized political stances. He suggested the company underestimated the challenges of balancing individuals from starkly opposed political backgrounds, stating that the current political divide in the United States complicates such arrangements.

Noem’s appointment has drawn scrutiny given her high-profile political background and the polarized opinions surrounding her tenure in public office. NovaRed has yet to comment on Ehr’s statements or indicate whether any potential changes to its advisory board are forthcoming.