Trump fires Kristi Noem as Homeland Security chief
Senator Markwayne Mullin will replace Kristi Noem, who is the first Senate-confirmed member of Trump’s Cabinet to be removed this term
US President Donald Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday after months of controversy, including the fatal shootings of two US citizens by federal officers in Minneapolis and lawmakers’ questions over a US$220 million advertising contract.
The Republican president will tap Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin to replace her by the end of the month, he said on his Truth Social platform on Thursday. The appointment would require US Senate confirmation.
“Kristi Noem, who has served us well, and has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!), will be moving to be Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, our new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere we are announcing on Saturday in Doral, Florida,” Trump said.
Noem, a former governor of South Dakota, became one of Trump’s most high-profile Cabinet secretaries with social media posts that portrayed immigrants in harsh terms, highlighted alleged criminal offences and used vitriolic language.
Her departure, after emerging as the face of an aggressive immigration crackdown that had grown unpopular according to recent polling, could allow Trump to reset his approach on immigration policy, a centrepiece of his agenda.
Shortly after Trump announced Noem’s replacement, she posted on X: “We have made historic accomplishments at the Department of Homeland Security to make America safe again”.