President Donald Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on March 5, 2026, following a Senate hearing where she implicated him in approving a controversial $200-220 million DHS ad campaign, and nominated Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma as her replacement, effective March 31 pending confirmation. Noem transitions to special envoy for the Shield of the Americas ahead of a summit at Trump National Doral Miami.
President Trump announced the DHS leadership change via a Truth Social post on Thursday, March 5, while Noem was addressing reporters at a press conference. Trump praised her service, citing 'numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!)', and reassigned her as special envoy for the Shield of the Americas security initiative, to be unveiled at a summit on Saturday, March 7, at Trump National Doral Miami, focused on combating cartels and drug trafficking to counter Chinese influence. Noem responded on X, thanking Trump and anticipating collaboration with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. She later spoke at a Nashville law enforcement conference, emphasizing deportations.
The firing stemmed from a March 3 Senate hearing where Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy questioned Noem about the ad campaign for self-deportations, involving no-bid deals costing $200-220 million awarded to a firm created days prior, subcontracting to consultants linked to her former spokesperson's husband. Kennedy, who gave the White House advance notice, said Noem's claim that Trump greenlit the spending left the president 'mad as a murder hornet.' Noem's tenure also drew bipartisan criticism over Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis (fatal shootings of U.S. citizens Alex Pretti and Renee Good in January 2026, mistaken arrest of a Hmong elder amid 50,000 protesters), disaster relief, border wall delays, and an alleged push to oust Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott. Trump responded by replacing Noem ally Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino with border czar Tom Homan. DHS achieved 605,000 deportations and expanded detention, but rank-and-file agents cited her inexperience; DHS has been in partial shutdown since February 14.
Senate GOP leaders learned of the firing and Mullin's nomination—read by Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt from Trump's post during lunch. Mullin, a Cherokee Nation member, former plumber, businessman, rancher, MMA fighter, and Trump ally (House since 2013, Senate since 2023; Appropriations and Armed Services committees), lacks direct DHS experience but appears frequently on cable news. He called the nomination 'humbling,' anticipates challenges like from Sen. Rand Paul (graded C+ by NumbersUSA on immigration), and pledged to secure the border and fight migrant crime and drugs.
Reactions were mixed: Republicans like Sens. Lindsey Graham and Thom Tillis supported the change; Democrats including Sen. Amy Klobuchar (planning opposition) and Gov. Gavin Newsom criticized it as retreat, calling for reforms. Polls show Trump's border approval dropping from 49% (April 2025) to 40% (February 2026).
