Trump Replaces Noem After Ad Campaign and Oversight Furor
Noem was removed after controversy over a $220 million ad campaign and watchdog allegations; Sen. Markwayne Mullin was tapped to replace her with an expected March 31 start.
Overview
President Donald Trump removed Kristi Noem as Homeland Security secretary, named Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace her with an expected March 31 start, and reassigned Noem as special envoy for the "Shield of the Americas."
Her Senate testimony defending a $220 million "self-deportation" ad campaign, which she said Trump approved and which he later denied, and other controversies eroded White House confidence, lawmakers said.
DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari wrote on March 2 that the department "systematically obstructed the work" of his office, and Sen. Richard Blumenthal has sought a perjury probe, congressional sources said.
Controversies included a $220 million ad contract, a roughly 3,000-agent surge to Minneapolis after two U.S. citizens were fatally shot in January, and reported $172 million spent on two Gulfstream jets, officials said.
Sen. Mullin's nomination requires Senate confirmation and, if confirmed, he will take over amid a funding shutdown, ongoing oversight probes, and debate over DHS policies and enforcement, observers said.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame Noem’s ouster as driven by managerial missteps and self-promotion, stressing DHS legitimacy and oversight failures. Editorial choices use loaded terms like self-promotion and ousted, prioritize critical voices (Inspector General, Democrats, oversight experts), and front-load controversies; supportive statements appear mainly as quoted source content rather than as framing.
FAQ
Noem's firing resulted from multiple scandals including a $220 million advertising campaign starring herself that was awarded to a company with ties to her allies[1], disputed claims about Trump's approval of the campaign[1], her public characterization of two killed Minneapolis residents as violent agitators when videos contradicted this narrative[3], and reported spending on luxury jets to shuttle immigrants[1]. Additionally, the DHS Inspector General alleged the department systematically obstructed his office's work, and concerns arose about her leadership style and relationship with special adviser Corey Lewandowski[1].
Markwayne Mullin is a U.S. Senator who was tapped to replace Noem as Homeland Security Secretary with an expected start date of March 31, 2026[1]. His nomination requires Senate confirmation, and if confirmed, he will assume leadership of the DHS amid ongoing funding challenges, oversight probes, and policy debates[1].
The campaign was a major DHS advertising initiative starring Noem on horseback that was widely viewed as promoting her own political future[1]. It was awarded as a no-bid contract to a company that didn't exist until eight days before receiving the contract and had extensive ties to her allies[2]. Trump later disputed approving it, stating "I never knew anything about it," contradicting Noem's testimony before Congress[1].
Federal immigration officers shot and killed two American citizens and legal observers, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, in Minneapolis operations that were 17 days apart[2]. Noem publicly portrayed the victims as violent agitators and claimed they engaged in "domestic terrorism," but bystander videos contradicted her characterization[3]. This sparked criticism from lawmakers in both parties during her congressional testimony[2].
