DNews Breaking News:

Trump Ousts DHS Chief Noem

WASHINGTON — In a dramatic shake-up inside the Trump administration, President Trump has fired Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security and announced that Markwayne Mullin, a Republican U.S. senator from Oklahoma, will take her place.

The decision, revealed Thursday on the president’s social platform Truth Social, marks the first major Cabinet change of President Trump’s second term and comes after weeks of mounting political pressure and controversy surrounding the Department of Homeland Security.

Noem had been one of the most visible figures behind the administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown, overseeing large-scale deportation operations and expanded enforcement actions by federal agencies such as ICE. But her leadership came under intense scrutiny following congressional hearings and a series of incidents tied to immigration enforcement operations earlier this year.

Lawmakers from both parties sharply questioned her during recent hearings on Capitol Hill, pressing her on enforcement tactics, department spending, and the handling of controversial incidents involving federal immigration agents. The criticism intensified after two U.S. citizens were killed during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis, an event that triggered national outrage and renewed calls for investigations into DHS practices.

Despite the firing, President Trump publicly thanked Noem for her work, particularly on border security, and announced she will move into a newly created diplomatic role as Special Envoy for the “Shield of the Americas,” a Western Hemisphere security initiative expected to be unveiled in the coming days.

Trump nominated Senator Mullin, a close political ally and former businessman, to lead the Department of Homeland Security. If confirmed by the Senate, Mullin is expected to continue the administration’s hard-line immigration strategy while attempting to stabilize the politically embattled department.

The sudden leadership change underscores the intense political pressure on immigration policy and federal enforcement operations as the administration navigates one of the country's most divisive domestic issues.