President Nominates Sen. Markwayne Mullin After Mounting Criticism Over Immigration and Disaster Response.
A Cabinet exit amid protests, lawsuits, and GOP backlash — what went wrong at Homeland Security?
President Donald Trump on Thursday fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, ending a turbulent tenure marked by controversy over immigration enforcement, department spending, and disaster response.
Trump announced the move on social media, saying he would nominate Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin as her replacement. He also said Noem would take on a new role as “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas,” a security initiative focused on the Western Hemisphere.
Noem’s departure makes her the first Cabinet secretary to leave during Trump’s second term.
Mounting Pressure on Capitol Hill
The dismissal follows days of pointed criticism during congressional hearings, where Noem faced unusually sharp questioning not only from Democrats but also from members of her own party.
Lawmakers scrutinized a $220 million advertising campaign launched by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) encouraging undocumented immigrants to leave the country voluntarily. Noem told lawmakers Trump had been aware of the campaign in advance. Trump later told Reuters he had not signed off on it.
Her leadership also drew criticism after the department was partially shut down for 20 days, with many employees continuing to work without pay.
Immigration Crackdown Under Fire
Noem had overseen Trump’s hard-line immigration agenda, which triggered protests and legal challenges nationwide. Tensions escalated following the fatal shootings of two protesters in Minneapolis by immigration enforcement officers — incidents that intensified scrutiny of DHS tactics and oversight.
Republican frustration reportedly grew over the department’s execution of enforcement policy and over the pace of disaster funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Critics questioned how billions of dollars allocated by Congress had been spent and whether emergency responses had been managed effectively.
What Comes Next
Mullin’s nomination will require Senate confirmation. Under federal vacancy laws, however, he can serve as acting Homeland Security secretary while his nomination is pending.
The shake-up underscores the volatility within Trump’s second-term Cabinet and reflects the political sensitivity surrounding immigration enforcement and federal emergency management.
With immigration central to Trump’s domestic agenda, the transition at DHS signals not a retreat — but a recalibration at a department at the heart of the administration’s most contentious policies.
