President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he has fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem amid mounting criticism of her leadership. Trump said he plans to nominate Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin to succeed her.
Trump made the announcement on social media two days after Noem faced Congressional grilling from both Democrats and Republicans over her management of the department, including immigration enforcement and disaster response efforts. The president described Noem’s new role as a “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas,” a security initiative focusing on the Western Hemisphere.
Noem appeared at a law enforcement event in Nashville, Tennessee, shortly after the announcement but did not address her departure. She read prepared remarks, echoing Trump’s recent State of the Union address, and did not mention her ouster.
Noem’s tenure was marked by controversy, including protests and lawsuits over her immigration policies. Her leadership was further scrutinized during congressional hearings, where she faced rare criticism from GOP lawmakers. One point of contention was a $220 million ad campaign encouraging illegal immigrants to leave voluntarily, a campaign she said Trump approved. Trump told Reuters he did not sign off on the ads.
The department has also been partially shut down for 20 days, though many employees continue working without pay. Noem’s handling of immigration enforcement, especially following the deaths of two protesters in Minneapolis at the hands of immigration officers, drew widespread criticism. She also faced questions over the department’s spending of billions of dollars allocated by Congress and its response to various disasters.
Mullin will need Senate confirmation, but under federal law, he can serve as acting secretary while his nomination is pending. He indicated uncertainty about how quickly the process will move, adding he looks forward to working more closely with the White House.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
