WASHINGTON (Realist English). US President Donald Trump has removed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem from her position following growing criticism of her handling of immigration enforcement and disaster response policies.
Trump announced the decision Thursday on social media, saying he plans to nominate Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin as her replacement. Mullin would need Senate confirmation but could temporarily serve as acting secretary while the nomination is pending.
The president also said Noem would take on a new role as a “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas,” an initiative focused on strengthening security cooperation across the Western Hemisphere.
Noem’s dismissal came just two days after she faced intense questioning during congressional hearings, where both Republican and Democratic lawmakers criticized her leadership of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
One of the main points of scrutiny involved a $220 million advertising campaign that featured Noem and encouraged migrants in the United States illegally to leave voluntarily. Noem told lawmakers that Trump had been informed of the initiative beforehand, but the president later said he had not approved the campaign.
Noem continued with a scheduled appearance at a law enforcement event in Nashville shortly after the announcement but did not publicly address her removal from the DHS post.
She becomes the first cabinet-level official to leave the administration during Trump’s second presidential term. Her tenure had been marked by controversy over the government’s immigration crackdown, which triggered protests, legal challenges and political disputes.
Criticism intensified after the fatal shooting of two protesters in Minneapolis during operations by immigration enforcement officers, an incident that drew national attention and increased pressure on the department’s leadership.
Noem also faced bipartisan criticism over the management of disaster response and the pace of emergency funding distributed through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Senator Mullin said he had not yet been informed how quickly his nomination would move through the Senate. Speaking shortly after Trump’s announcement, he said he expected to work closely with the White House if confirmed.
