Trump Announces Firing Of Homeland Security Head Kristi Noem
After mounting criticism around immigration crackdowns, Trump has fired the Homeland Security Secretary and appointed her “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas.”
Featured Image: Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images
Trigger warning: mentions of graphic violence
On Thursday, in keeping with his traditional method of announcing important news, Trump took to Truth Social to unceremoniously fire Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin has been tapped to take her place, effective March 31. The move follows this week’s testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, in which Noem faced questions by House Democrats over her handling of the agency’s immigration enforcement operations. Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland accused her of having “turned our government against our people.”
The hearing was a response to the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by ICE agents earlier this year. On Tuesday, without evidence, she called Pretti’s actions “the definition of domestic terrorism.” On Wednesday, Rep. Raskin asked her if she regretted labeling Good and Pretti as such. She responded simply, “I offer my condolences to those families.”
In what appears to be a consolation prize for what one might hesitate to call her service, Trump has appointed Noam “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas.” It’s not clear exactly what that means, but he described it as a “new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere.” It’s also not clear what initiative that might be, but reportedly, it will be unveiled in Florida this weekend.
Noem’s expulsion marks the first time Trump has removed a cabinet member during his second go at the Oval Office. Why now? Some reporting suggests that Trump was irked that during the hearings this week, she said that he had signed off on a $220 million government advertising campaign that encouraged undocumented immigrants to voluntarily leave the U.S. (she was also featured in the ad). He recalled things differently.
As head of DHS, Noem ran the agencies responsible for border security and immigration enforcement and disaster response. Future historians will note her legacy as having included an expansive deportation campaign and crackdown along the southern border, and what many view as the unleashing of our own government upon its citizens, which culminated in the killing of two U.S. citizens during immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis. Her handling of disaster aid was not well-received, including issuing directives that led to delays in FEMA reimbursements.
The South Dakota native will also be remembered for actions that were precursors to her appointment as DHS czar. As outlined in her memoir: dragging her “less than worthless” dog to a gravel pit and shooting it dead after it attacked her neighbor’s chickens. Taking inspiration from that killing, she went after her “nasty and mean” family goat with a gun to do the same. When the goat jumped from the first shot, she went to her truck for another shell and returned to finish the job.
Thank you @POTUS Trump for appointing me as the Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas. @SecRubio and @SecWar are incredible leaders and I look forward to working with them closely to dismantle cartels that have poured drugs into our nation and killed our children and…
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) March 5, 2026
