United States President Donald Trump has removed Kristi Noem from her position as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), marking the first cabinet-level dismissal of his second term.
Trump announced the decision on March 5, saying Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma would replace Noem, pending confirmation by the U.S. Senate. Mullin is expected to assume the role on March 31.
Noem’s removal follows weeks of mounting criticism over her leadership of the Department of Homeland Security, including congressional scrutiny of the agency’s immigration enforcement policies and internal spending decisions. Lawmakers from both major parties had questioned her handling of several controversial operations and management of federal disaster response programmes.
Her tenure was also overshadowed by backlash over aggressive immigration enforcement actions and a contentious advertising campaign related to migrant self-deportation.
Despite the dismissal, Trump thanked Noem for her service and announced she would take on a new diplomatic role as Special Envoy for the “Shield of the Americas,” a security initiative focused on combating drug trafficking and strengthening regional security cooperation in the Western Hemisphere.
Noem, a former governor of South Dakota, had served as Homeland Security Secretary since early 2025 and was a prominent figure in the administration’s hardline immigration agenda.
