Mar 6, 2:36 PM
Trump fires Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem amid mounting criticism
US president nominates Senator Markwayne Mullin as replacement after congressional scrutiny of immigration and disaster response policies
Donald Trump has dismissed Kristi Noem as head of the US Department of Homeland Security following growing criticism over her leadership of immigration enforcement and disaster response efforts. Trump announced the decision on social media on Thursday, saying he would nominate Markwayne Mullin to replace Noem. The president added that Noem would instead serve as a “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas,” a new security initiative focused on cooperation across the Western Hemisphere.
Noem’s removal comes just days after she faced intense questioning during hearings on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers from both parties criticised the administration’s immigration crackdown and the department’s handling of disaster relief.
Her tenure has been marked by controversy, particularly over aggressive immigration enforcement policies that triggered protests and legal challenges.
The former governor of South Dakota also faced scrutiny over a $220 million advertising campaign encouraging migrants in the country without legal status to leave voluntarily.
During congressional hearings this week, Noem told lawmakers that Trump had approved the campaign in advance. However, the president later told Reuters he had not signed off on the initiative.
Criticism intensified following the shooting deaths of two protesters in Minneapolis by immigration enforcement officers during demonstrations against the administration’s policies.
Lawmakers also raised concerns about the department’s management of billions of dollars allocated by Congress and the pace of disaster assistance distributed through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Noem’s departure marks the first cabinet-level change of Trump’s second presidential term. Under federal law governing executive branch vacancies, Mullin could serve as acting Homeland Security secretary while awaiting confirmation by the United States Senate.
Speaking briefly after Trump’s announcement, Mullin said he did not know how quickly the confirmation process would move forward but expressed confidence about working closely with the White House. “The president and I are good friends,” Mullin said. “So we look forward to working closer with the White House.”
