Trump Fires Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Taps Oklahoma Senator as Replacement

President Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday, naming Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin as her replacement — though Mullin still needs Senate confirmation to take the job.

Noem had been the face of the administration's aggressive immigration crackdown, but her tenure ended amid a string of controversies. The final straw appeared to be a Capitol Hill hearing this week over a $220 million border security ad campaign that featured Noem prominently. Trump told NBC News he wasn't on board with the spending: "I wasn't thrilled with it. I spent less money than that to become president. I didn't know about it." Under questioning, Noem insisted Trump had approved the campaign — a claim the president flatly contradicted.

Noem also drew sharp criticism for her response to deadly shootings by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis, and for calling victim Alex Pretti a "domestic terrorist" despite video evidence that contradicted that characterization.

Reaction in Washington was swift. Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina said Noem "completely destroyed the high ground that Republicans had," while Democratic Senator Cory Booker called her "one of the worst administrative leaders I've ever seen" — though he was quick to add that DHS itself remains "reckless and out of control." The department is currently operating through a government shutdown, with Democrats pushing to overhaul ICE and Border Patrol.

Trump praised Noem's work on border security even as he showed her the door. Mullin, for his part, is promising a more collaborative approach, saying he sees "opportunities to build off things that maybe didn't go quite as planned." He will need a Senate vote before he can officially lead the agency.