Kristi Noem out as DHS secretary; Trump announces Sen. Markwayne Mullin as replacement

"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," Mr. Trump said in a post on Truth Social. 

The Senate would need to confirm Mullin to the post. 

The president said Noem "has served us well," citing her "spectacular results" on the border. He said she will be moving to a role as special envoy for The Shield of the Americas, a new security initiative he said the administration will be unveiling...In a post on X, Noem later thanked the president for appointing her to the new role, while touting "historic accomplishments" made during her tenure at DHS...          The final straw appeared to come during her testimony before the Senate earlier this week, where she faced sharp criticism not only from Democrats, but also Republicans.

In particular, GOP Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana questioned the secretary about her decision to spend $220 million on an ad campaign aimed at reducing illegal immigration. He wanted to know "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?" 

And he pointed out that she had hired "people who had formerly done your political work back in South Dakota." Noem told Kennedy, "That's not correct," and he shot back, "I think it is." 

He went on to say that "It puts the president in a terribly awkward spot: It's just hard for me to believe, knowing the president as I do, that you said, 'Mr. President, here are some ads I cut and I'm going to spend $220 million running them,' that he would have agreed to that."

"The president approved ahead of time you spending $220 million, running TV ads across the country in which you are featured prominently?" Kennedy asked her.

Noem said, "Yes, sir. We went through the legal processes — did it correctly."

The ad campaign has also come under scrutiny over how the contract was awarded...On Capitol Hill, soon after Mr. Trump's post, Mullin said he found out about the nomination "a little bit before you guys did."

"We're excited about the opportunity," Mullin said.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the White House will work with the Senate to confirm Mullin "as quickly as possible."

Asked by reporters Thursday about the president's selection of Mullin to replace Noem, Tillis said, "I can't think of anybody I'd more proudly want to support to come in and clean up her mess."