By Rebecca St Fleur
Correspondent
President Donald Trump announced via TruthSocial on March 5 that he fired Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
He also revealed her replacement, declaring, “I am pleased to announce that the Highly Respected United States Senator from the Great State of Oklahoma, Markwayne Mullin, will become the United States Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), effective March 31, 2026.”
Trump commended Noem for her service and stated she’d be moving to the new job, “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, our new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere.”
In response, Noem thanked the president on X, looking forward to her new role. “The Western Hemisphere is absolutely critical for U.S. security. In this new role, I will be able to build on the partnerships and national security expertise, I forged over the last 13 months as Secretary of Homeland Security,” she wrote.
Noem has faced intense public and political scrutiny in recent months for her oversight in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown following the killings of two U.S. citizens by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
Noem also faced harsh questions in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on March 3 as lawmakers inquired about her relationship with adviser Corey Lewandowski and DHS moves in Minnesota. Democrats in Congress have opposed funding the DHS as protests increase across the nation.
Following Noem’s oversight of the president’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, Trump moved to put border czar Tom Homan in command instead. This change “underscored his displeasure with her performance…Since then, ICE has sought to more heavily focus on arresting immigrants in the U.S. illegally who also have criminal records…” CBS News reports.
Mullin has served as Oklahoma’s senator since 2023, is a former mixed martial arts fighter and enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation.
Mullin’s stances during his time in Congress have often supported “Trump‑era legislation, including the 2025 “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which cut Medicaid funding and added work requirements,” Newsweek outlines. He has also been vocal during many Senate hearings.
Trump’s announcement is just a nomination and the Senate must still officially confirm Mullin to his position. His confirmation hearing is scheduled for March 18.
