Trump pushes Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem out, nominates Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace her

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he is pushing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem out of her position and intends to nominate Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin to lead the Department of Homeland Security.

The decision follows weeks of growing criticism from White House officials and Republican lawmakers over Noem’s leadership and a series of controversies tied to the agency.

Noem had been under scrutiny for several issues, including questions about a costly advertising campaign by the department that prominently featured her, as well as her handling of incidents involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. During recent congressional hearings, lawmakers from both parties raised concerns about the campaign and the department’s spending.

At one Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Republican Senator John Kennedy pressed Noem about the advertising campaign, which reportedly cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Kennedy questioned whether the contracts were properly awarded and asked whether the president had approved the campaign.

Noem said the president was aware of it, but Trump later told reporters he had not known about the ads.

Republican Senator Thom Tillis also criticized Noem during the hearing, saying the agency’s performance under her leadership had been “a disaster.”

Behind the scenes, some Homeland Security officials have also expressed frustration with the management style of Noem and her top adviser Corey Lewandowski, who has reportedly played a significant role inside the department despite serving in a temporary government position.

If confirmed by the Senate, Mullin would take over leadership of the Department of Homeland Security at a time when the agency remains central to immigration enforcement and border policy debates.

It remains unclear who would serve as acting secretary if Noem steps down before Mullin’s confirmation process is completed.

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