Trump Fires Homeland Security Chief Kristi Noem, Names Markwayne Mullin As Replacement

Last Updated:March 06, 2026, 00:36 IST

Several reports suggested that Trump was angry at Noem's performance in congressional hearings and was considering firing her as Homeland Security chief.

US President Donald Trump announced the firing of Kristi Noem as the Secretary of Homeland Security and named Senator Markwayne Mullin as her replacement on Thursday (local time). Mullin will take over as the new Homeland Security chief on 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," Trump said on Truth Social.

“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’," he added.

This came after several US media outlets reported that Trump was already frustrated with Noem’s performance this week during congressional hearings and was considering firing her. A person familiar with the matter said Trump has been speaking with Republican lawmakers about his displeasure with Noem and has made clear that he is considering replacing her.

Noem has been at the forefront of Trump’s signature policies of mass deporting immigrants, imposing strict immigration restrictions and the closure of the US-Mexico border. Her ouster marks the first time a Cabinet secretary has exited in Trump’s second term.

Why Was Trump Angry With Noem?

Noem had overwhelmingly backed and enforced Trump’s aggressive policies on immigration and courted controversy after accusing two people shot dead by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis of being “domestic terrorists."

However, Trump was annoyed by Noem’s response when she was repeatedly asked about her role in approving contracts, specifically a $220 million ad campaign to encourage immigrants to self-deport, according to several reports. While speaking to US Senator John Kennedy during a Congressional hearing, Noem said Trump knew about her decision to approve the ad campaign contracts, which did not sit well with the president.

A White House official told NBC News that the president did not sign off on the ad campaign. While Trump had been unhappy with Noem’s performance as Homeland Security chief, particularly the shootings by immigration enforcement officers, her response to the ad contracts left him particularly frustrated.

Her firing comes at a vulnerable time, as the DHS is currently entangled in a partial shutdown, with congressional Democrats refusing to fund the department over concerns with the administration’s immigration enforcement tactics.

News world Trump Fires Homeland Security Chief Kristi Noem, Names Markwayne Mullin As Replacement

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