Trump fires Kristi Noem as DHS chief, names Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace her

Politics Trump fires Kristi Noem as DHS chief, names Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace her March 5, 2026 2:20 PM ET Ximena Bustillo Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem attends a meeting in the Oval Office on Nov. 17, 2025. Win McNamee/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Win McNamee/Getty Images President Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and said GOP Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma would replace her. Noem "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," Trump posted on social media . "I thank Kristi for her service at 'Homeland.'" Noem is the first cabinet secretary to leave the Trump administration in the second term. The announcement comes after Noem spent two days being grilled by lawmakers in Congress over her leadership. Immigration Senators pressed Kristi Noem on the DHS shutdown and shootings. Here are key moments Mullin has been a defender of the president and his immigration agenda. "A MAGA Warrior, and former undefeated professional MMA fighter, Markwayne truly gets along well with people, and knows the Wisdom and Courage required to Advance our America First Agenda," Trump said in his post highlighting Mullin's position as the only Native American in the Senate. "Markwayne will make a spectacular Secretary of Homeland Security. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., , speaks during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on last month. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Andrew Harnik/Getty Images Mullin will need to be confirmed by the Senate in order to take on the role permanently. Noem, who was formerly South Dakota's governor, had been at the forefront of Trump's efforts to carry out mass deportations. Following her confirmation, she quickly became the face of the administration's immigration agenda — making multimillion...