Donald Trump says DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is out, ending a turbulent run leading the Department of Homeland Security.
Trump announced Thursday that Kristi Noem will leave her role as Homeland Security secretary and will be replaced by Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin. The sudden shift removes the most visible public face of Trump’s immigration crackdown at a moment when the policy is facing growing criticism.
The change also lands during rising political pressure on Noem from both parties in Washington.
Noem drew widespread backlash after accusing Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti and mother, Renee Nicole Good, of being domestic terrorists. Federal agents shot and killed both individuals in January. Noem also criticized Pretti for bringing a gun and ammunition to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity, suggesting he was “wishing to inflict harm on officers.”
So the controversy quickly spilled into Congress.
As of March 5, roughly 190 lawmakers had expressed support for impeaching Noem following the Pretti shooting. Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman publicly called on Trump to “immediately fire” Noem, writing that she is “betraying DHS’s core mission.”
Republican criticism also intensified. North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who both voted to confirm Noem, demanded her resignation earlier this year. During a March 3 Senate Judiciary oversight hearing, Tillis called her leadership “a disaster” and warned he would block Trump’s nominations until she answered questions.
However, the political pressure was not limited to Capitol Hill.
Polling has shown slipping public support for Trump’s immigration approach, with a YouGov survey in early March finding that half of Americans support abolishing ICE. Some administration advisers have reportedly discussed “recalibrating” the White House’s enforcement strategy.
Noem’s tenure also faced scrutiny over FEMA operations and spending decisions inside DHS. Critics pointed to disaster relief delays, agency staffing cuts, and large spending on border security aircraft and national advertising campaigns.
Now the administration turns to Mullin to lead the department through the next phase of its immigration agenda.
