Trump Replaces Homeland Security Secretary Noem with a GOP Senator

WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security is facing a major shake-up after President Trump announced Thursday that Kristi Noem is out as secretary and Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin will replace her.

As Senator Mullin prepares to take over DHS, he says his focus will be on the department's core mission.

"We're gonna get Department of Homeland Security making sure that we stay focused on protecting the homeland, and no matter if you support me or you don't support me, I'm gonna be laser-focused on getting that done," Mullin told reporters.

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President Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post, writing that Noem had "spectacular results," but will move into a newly created special envoy role effective March 31.

     "I am pleased to announce that the Highly Respected United States Senator from the Great State of Oklahoma, Markwayne Mullin, will become the United States Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), effective March 31, 2026. The current Secretary, 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. I thank Kristi for her service at 'Homeland.'"

Noem is the first Cabinet secretary to leave during Trump’s second term. Her tenure was tumultuous as she oversaw immigration enforcement tactics that have been met with protests and lawsuits.

Noem faced intense scrutiny in recent weeks, including backlash for claiming two Americans killed by federal agents in Minneapolis were domestic terrorists. This week, she faced several incredibly heated congressional hearings. During one hearing, she addressed the shooting death of Alex Pretti, telling the Senate, "I can't even imagine what they have gone through in the loss of their son and the loss of their family members." She said his death was an "absolute tragedy."

But administration officials say her performance during heated questioning on Capitol Hill deeply frustrated Trump, especially her response to a question from Sen. John Kennedy (R-Louisiana).

"How do you square that concern for waste, which I share, with the fact that you have, spent $220 million running television advertisements that feature you prominently," he asked.

"Sir, the president tasked me with getting the message out to the country, and to other countries where we were seeing the invasion come from, with putting commercials out that told them that if they were in this country illegally, that they needed to leave...that has been extremely effective," Sec. Noem responded.

She went on to say the president signed off on the expensive ad campaign, but Trump denied that in a phone call with Reuters, and he called Sen. Kennedy about Mullin as a possible replacement for Noem.

"He was mad as a murder hornet. He asked me what I thought about Markwayne, and I said a) I like him, b) very smart, c) he's a very good businessman," Sen. Kennedy explained.

Mullin now needs to be confirmed by the Senate in order to officially take over the new position. The process will put his plans for DHS front and center on Capitol Hill in the coming weeks.