Homeland Security Secretary Kirsten Nielsen denied Thursday that she was behind an anonymous op-ed in The New York Times that details efforts within the Trump administration to push back against the president’s impulses.

"Secretary Nielsen is focused on leading the men & women of DHS and protecting the homeland — not writing anonymous & false opinion pieces for the New York Times," Tyler Houlton, press secretary for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said in a statement.

"These types of political attacks are beneath the Secretary & the Department's mission," he added.

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Nielsen took over as head of DHS after John Kelly John Francis KellyMORE left to serve as chief of staff in July 2017. She has endured criticism from President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE during her tenure over the administration's immigration policy, but he has publicly praised Nielsen in recent months.

Nielsen became the latest Cabinet official to distance themselves from the op-ed, joining Vice President Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoOvernight Defense: Pentagon redirects pandemic funding to defense contractors | US planning for full Afghanistan withdrawal by May | Anti-Trump GOP group puts ads in military papers Overnight Defense: House Democrats unveil stopgap spending measure to GOP opposition | Bill includes .6B for new subs | Trump issues Iran sanctions after world shrugs at US action at UN Navalny calls on Russia to return clothes he was wearing when he fell ill MORE and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats Daniel (Dan) Ray CoatsFBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - Trump, Biden renew push for Latino support Former Intel chief had 'deep suspicions' that Putin 'had something on Trump': book MORE.

The New York Times published the op-ed on Wednesday in which an anonymous senior administration official described coordinated efforts from staff to "thwart" Trump's worst instincts.

The official, whose identity is known to Times opinion editors, bashed the president's "amorality" and praised the work of "unsung heroes" who push back against him.

"We want the administration to succeed and think that many of its policies have already made America safer and more prosperous," they wrote. "But we believe our first duty is to this country, and the president continues to act in a manner that is detrimental to the health of our republic."

The op-ed set off immediate speculation over who the author could be.

Trump and the White House have ripped the Times for publishing the piece. The president called on the newspaper late Wednesday to turn the author over to the government for "national security purposes."