United States President, Donald Trump, on Thursday dismissed Kristi Noem from her position as head of the Department of Homeland Security, the federal agency leading his administration’s extensive immigration enforcement operations.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced that Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, 48, would assume leadership of the department starting March 31.
Media reports indicated that Trump was dissatisfied with Noem’s management of a recent large-scale crackdown on undocumented migrants in Minnesota, an operation during which federal immigration agents fatally shot two Americans.
Reports also suggested that the president was displeased with Noem’s remarks during a Senate hearing earlier in the week, where she stated that Trump personally authorised a $220 million DHS advertising campaign in which she played a central role.
Despite the dismissal, Trump said Noem, 54, would take on a new role as special envoy for a Western Hemisphere security initiative called “The Shield of the Americas,” which he plans to unveil on Saturday.
“(Noem) has served us well, and has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!),” Trump said.
He praised Mullin as a loyal supporter and described him as a “MAGA Warrior,” expressing confidence in his ability to lead the department effectively.
“Markwayne will work tirelessly to Keep our Border Secure, Stop Migrant Crime, Murderers, and other Criminals from illegally entering our Country, End the Scourge of Illegal Drugs and, MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN,” Trump said.
Mullin’s nomination will require confirmation by the Senate, where Republicans currently hold the majority.
Trump had campaigned on a promise to deport millions of undocumented migrants, with DHS serving as the primary agency responsible for enforcing the administration’s deportation policies.
Speaking with reporters, Mullin said his priority would be national security.
“I think there’s opportunities to build off successes,” he said. “And there’s also opportunities to build off things that maybe didn’t go quite as planned.”
Reacting to the development, Noem thanked the president in a post on X for appointing her as special envoy and pointed to what she described as significant achievements during her time at DHS.
“We delivered the MOST secure border in American history,” she said, and “three million illegal aliens have left the U.S..”
Her removal drew swift reactions from Democratic lawmakers.
“Good riddance,” said Senate Democratic minority leader Chuck Schumer.
Senator Dick Durbin said Noem “was the face of an unpopular, illegal, and outright dangerous mass deportation campaign that claimed the lives of innocent Americans and terrorized many more.”
“Even the president finally conceded she was unfit for the job,” Durbin said.
Senator Adam Schiff of California argued that the decision to remove Noem came too late.
“Noem should have been fired a long time ago,” he said.
“It is telling, at the same time distressing, that what seems to have gotten her fired was her PR campaign…this $220 million boondoggle, this waste of taxpayer resources that largely promoted Kristi Noem,” Schiff said.
Noem had already faced criticism from both political parties during Tuesday’s Senate hearing.
Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina called for her resignation and described her tenure at DHS as a “disaster.”
During the hearing, Democrats repeatedly pressed Noem to apologise for the deaths of the two Americans killed in Minnesota during protests against the immigration crackdown and for referring to them as “domestic terrorists.”
Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, a staunch Trump ally, also questioned Noem about the $220 million spent by DHS on television advertisements.
Noem defended the spending, saying the campaign had been “effective.”
“They were effective in your name recognition,” Kennedy shot back.
Noem is the first cabinet member dismissed since Trump returned to office. Previously, Trump removed his national security adviser, Mike Waltz, last year following his involvement in a Signal group chat where sensitive information was reportedly shared with a journalist.
Her dismissal also comes as the Department of Homeland Security faces a partial shutdown.
Democrats have opposed approving additional funding for the department unless significant reforms are made to the operations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Among their demands are reduced patrol activities, a ban on ICE agents wearing face masks and a requirement for officers to obtain judicial warrants before entering private property.
