President Donald Trump fired Kristi Noem, ending a tenure that critics said left the Department of Homeland Security weakened and embroiled in controversy, media reports and Democrats said.
Lawmakers and critics pointed to aggressive U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions, operational lapses at the Federal Emergency Management Agency and a $220 million advertising contract that Noem had said the president approved. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told reporters that Trump called him and disputed Noem’s account of the president’s involvement, according to news accounts.
ProPublica reported that the advertising contract was awarded to a Delaware firm, the Strategy Group, that had played a role in Noem’s 2022 gubernatorial campaign and that had been set up shortly before winning the federal work. Trump told NBC News he “wasn’t thrilled with it,” adding, “I spent less money than that to become president. I didn’t know about it,” according to the network.
Critics said Noem compounded problems at ICE by publicly defending agents in fatal encounters and by failing to order investigations in some cases. They also faulted her for requiring personal approval of FEMA contracts and grants over $100,000, which Republicans said created backlogs for disaster relief. The criticisms included allegations that the department spent millions on ads promoting Noem and that some agency employees derisively nicknamed her “ICE Barbie,” according to reports.
Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, Trump’s choice to replace Noem, told reporters he and Noem are friends and that she did her best under difficult circumstances, according to accounts. Support for Noem appeared limited outside close associates, critics said, as Republicans and Democrats weighed the political and operational fallout from her time leading the department.
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
