President Donald Trump declared on Thursday that he will remove Kristi Noem from her post as Secretary of Homeland Security and nominate Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) to replace her, marking the first Cabinet change of his second term. The personnel shift is set to take effect March 31, 2026, according to the president's announcement.
The decision came shortly after a bruising Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday, during which Noem drew pointed criticism from members of her own party. Republican Sen. Thom Tillis (N.C.) told colleagues that her tenure amounted to "a disaster" and argued she had shown "anything but" exceptional leadership, remarks reported by a national newspaper that has covered the hearing.
In a post on Truth Social, the president hailed Noem's record, saying she achieved "numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!)." He also said he would name her Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, a new Western Hemisphere security initiative that the White House plans to unveil Saturday in Doral, Florida. Separately, Trump told Reuters on Thursday that he had not been aware of a $220 million advertising campaign that prominently featured Noem, stating, "I never knew anything about it."
Mounting controversies during Noem's brief tenure
Noem's time leading the Department of Homeland Security included several episodes that attracted bipartisan attention and criticism. She initially described two American citizens who were killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis as "domestic terrorists," a characterization that drew scrutiny amid calls for a fuller investigation.
Another flashpoint centered on a $220 million advertising campaign that featured Noem riding on horseback in a cowboy hat. That campaign came under further fire after reporting that a lucrative subcontract for the advertising work went to the husband of a former DHS spokesperson.
Republican lawmakers also raised concerns about what they characterized as slow disbursement of emergency funds through FEMA and about disaster response efforts under Noem's watch. Polling cited in reports indicated that public support for the administration's immigration enforcement efforts had declined to a recent low in January, a drop connected in part to clashes in U.S. cities and the Minneapolis shooting that drew attention earlier in the year.
Who is Markwayne Mullin?
Mullin, whom Trump described as "a MAGA Warrior, and former undefeated professional MMA fighter" who "truly gets along well with people," has served a decade in the U.S. House of Representatives and three years in the U.S. Senate representing Oklahoma. He is noted in public records as the only Native American currently serving in the Senate.
Although the president indicated Mullin would begin serving on March 31, the senator will require Senate confirmation to assume the DHS post formally. That timeline raises procedural questions about whether he can lawfully take on the responsibilities of secretary prior to confirmation and who would act as secretary during the transition period.
The administration's personnel move concludes with Noem transitioning to a diplomatic-style role tied to a new regional security effort and with Mullin positioned to seek confirmation. The announcement closes one chapter in a short but contentious DHS tenure and opens another that will require Senate review before becoming permanent.