Recommendations of the Editorial team
After weeks of public criticism, personal scandals and bad press over her handling of the Department of Homeland Security, President Donald Trump has fired Secretary Kristi Noem and nominated Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin as a possible successor.
Noem is the first member of Trump’s second-term Cabinet to lose his job. In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump wrote that he was pleased to announce that “the esteemed U.S. Senator from the great state of Oklahoma, Markwayne Mullin, will become Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) of the United States, effective March 31, 2026.”
“Acting Secretary Kristi Noem, who has served us well and has many spectacular results (especially at the border!), will move to Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas – our new security initiative in the Western Hemisphere, which we will announce on Saturday in Doral, Florida,” the President wrote. “I thank Kristi for her service on Homeland.”
Noem came under pressure
The firing comes days after Noem was attacked by lawmakers on Capitol Hill for a series of serious mistakes by her department – including the killing of two American citizens by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and alleged attempts by DHS to obstruct investigations into the shooting. Noem also faced criticism for excessive spending at the department while simultaneously enforcing restrictions on FEMA disaster relief funding.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
