Kristi Noem out, Markwayne Mullin to be new US DHS Chief

President Donald Trump has sacked Kristi Noem as the United States Secretary of Homeland Security and appointed Markwayne Mullin as her replacement, effective from March 31. Announcing the decision on Thursday in a post on Truth Social, Trump said Mullin would take over leadership of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), while Noem would assume a new role as Special Envoy for "The Shield of the Americas," a security initiative in the Western Hemisphere.Trump praised Mullin's political career, his experience in Congress and his alignment with the administration's policy agenda. "Serving 10 years in the United States House of Representatives, and 3 in the Senate, Markwayne has done a tremendous job representing the wonderful People of Oklahoma, where I won all 77 out of 77 Counties in 2016, 2020, and 2024!" Trump said. Trump said Mullin would prioritise border security and tackling illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

Noem, who was appointed by Trump at the beginning of his administration, had faced growing scrutiny over her conduct in office, including reports about an alleged romantic relationship with her chief adviser, the handling of departmental funds, and controversies surrounding a DHS advertising campaign featuring her prominently.Current and former Homeland Security officials had privately questioned how long she would remain in the role following what they described as a series of missteps. These reportedly included a decision to pause TSA PreCheck during a DHS funding lapse, a move that was reversed within hours, as well as her responses during two congressional hearings earlier this week, CNN reported.