Kristi Noem is out as head of Homeland Security
Kristi Noem is out as the head of the Department of Homeland Security.
President Donald Trump announced in a Thursday post on Truth Social that he was tapping Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma to replace Noem effective March 31; he must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
“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,” Trump wrote. “I thank Kristi for her service at ‘‘Homeland.’”
The move came after Noem’s combative testimony before Senate and House committees this week, where she faced criticism and tough questioning not only from Democrats but from GOP Sens. Thom Tillis and John Kennedy. Noem and the department have come under scrutiny over the administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement and Noem’s use of official resources.
Noem was sidelined after federal immigration agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, during the administration’s immigration surge in Minneapolis.
Outlets including the National Review and NBC News reported that Trump was also displeased with Noem testifying under oath that he was aware of and signed off on $220 million in taxpayer-funded advertisements in which Noem urged immigrants to leave voluntarily.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.