Trump Fires Kristi Noem As Homeland Security Chief
President Donald Trump on Thursday removed Kristi Noem from her position as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, the agency overseeing his administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement operations.
Reports from several media outlets indicated that Trump became displeased following Noem’s remarks during a Senate hearing earlier in the week. During the session, she revealed that the president had approved a $220 million advertising campaign for the Department of Homeland Security in which she appeared prominently.
In a message shared on Truth Social, Trump announced that Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma would replace Noem and assume leadership of the department starting March 31.
Trump, however, assigned a new role to the 54-year-old, naming her special envoy for a new Western Hemisphere security initiative he described as “The Shield of the Americas.”
He praised Noem’s performance in office, noting that she had delivered strong results, particularly in relation to border security.
Trump also expressed confidence in Mullin, describing him as a “MAGA Warrior” and predicting he would perform exceptionally well as Secretary of Homeland Security.
Before officially taking office, Mullin’s nomination will need to be approved by the Senate, where Republicans currently hold the majority.
Trump added that Mullin would focus on strengthening border security, combating migrant-related crime, preventing criminals from entering the United States illegally, tackling the illegal drug trade, and helping to make America safe again.
