Trump to Replace DHS Secretary Kristi Noem With Sen. Markwayne Mullin

Trump Announces DHS Leadership Change in Washington

President Donald Trump announced in Washington on Thursday that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem will leave her role later this month and that he intends to appoint U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma as her replacement, effective March 31, 2026.

Trump made the announcement in a post on his social media platform, stating that Mullin will become the United States Secretary of Homeland Security. He noted that Mullin currently serves as a United States senator from Oklahoma. The appointment requires confirmation by the U.S. Senate before Mullin can formally assume the post.

Noem to Depart DHS and Take Special Envoy Role

Trump said that Noem will transition to a position as special envoy for The Shield of the Americas, which he described as a new security initiative that his administration plans to unveil. He stated that Noem "has served us well" and cited what he called "spectacular results" on the border during her tenure.

After Trump’s announcement, Noem proceeded with a previously scheduled speech in Nashville at the Major Cities Conference, taking the stage soon after news of her replacement became public. Later, in a post on X, Noem thanked the president for appointing her to the new envoy role and referenced what she described as "historic accomplishments" at the Department of Homeland Security.

Criticism and Congressional Scrutiny of Noem’s Tenure

Noem has faced months of criticism as Democrats in Congress refused to fund the Department of Homeland Security following the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti amid an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. Earlier in the year, Trump placed border czar Tom Homan, described as an internal rival of Noem, in charge of winding down the Minneapolis operation.

Following that shift, Immigration and Customs Enforcement focused more heavily on arresting immigrants in the United States illegally who also have criminal records, while broad, roving Border Patrol operations in major U.S. cities, previously led by commander Gregory Bovino, were largely halted.

Senate Testimony and $220 Million Ad Campaign

Noem’s recent appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 3, 2026, became a key flashpoint. During the hearing, Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana sharply questioned Noem about a $220 million advertising campaign aimed at reducing illegal immigration. Kennedy asked how she reconciled that level of spending with concerns about waste and noted that the television advertisements featured Noem prominently.

Kennedy also said she had hired people who had previously done her political work in South Dakota. Noem responded, "That's not correct," and Kennedy replied, "I think it is." He further questioned whether Trump had approved the ad spending in advance. Noem testified that the president had approved the $220 million national television campaign and stated, "We went through the legal processes — did it correctly."

Noem testified that she and Trump had discussed running the advertisements before she was sworn in and had continued to talk about them afterward. Kennedy later stated that Trump called him the night of the hearing and that "his recollection and her recollection are different." Kennedy said Trump "was not a happy cowboy" during that call.

Contract Award and Calls for Investigation

The advertising contract drew further scrutiny on Capitol Hill. Representative Joe Neguse of Colorado questioned Noem during a separate hearing about the lack of competitive bidding. He noted that the media company awarded the contract is affiliated with a former political director of the National Republican Congressional Committee, is registered to a political operative in Virginia, and was incorporated eight days before the contract was issued.

Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona, in November, called for an investigation into the contract. He stated that $143 million of the total contract was awarded to Safe America Media and said that the company had funneled a significant portion of its award to the Strategy Group, which he described as having very close ties to Noem and other senior Department of Homeland Security officials. He noted that the CEO of the Strategy Group, Benjamin Yoho, is married to former DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin.

Internal Tensions and Impeachment Articles

Within the Department of Homeland Security, senior administration officials expressed mounting criticism of Noem and growing calls for action. Corey Lewandowski, a senior adviser to Noem and former Trump campaign manager, had what sources described as an "acrimonious" conversation with Trump on Tuesday after Noem’s Senate testimony. The discussion was related to Noem’s exchange with Kennedy about the $220 million ad campaign. A source later stated that Lewandowski will depart DHS along with Noem.

In January, Democratic Representative Robin Kelly of Illinois introduced articles of impeachment against Noem. Kelly accused Noem of obstructing congressional oversight of immigration enforcement and abusing her position for personal gain.

Further Congressional Criticism of Noem

During congressional testimony this week, Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina issued strong criticism of Noem’s handling of immigration enforcement, saying he had been repeatedly disappointed with her leadership. Tillis also criticized Noem over an incident she described in her 2024 book, in which she killed her dog named Cricket and a goat. Tillis referenced her description of those actions as a leadership lesson, and he compared those decisions to what he characterized as decisions made during the Minneapolis operation.

Reaction to Mullin’s Nomination

On Capitol Hill, Mullin said soon after Trump’s announcement that he learned of the nomination "a little bit before" reporters did and stated, "We're excited about the opportunity." White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the White House will work with the Senate to confirm Mullin "as quickly as possible."

Asked about Trump’s selection, Tillis said he could not think of anyone he would more proudly support to "come in and clean up" what he described as Noem’s mess. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said he is "a resounding NO" on the nomination and wrote that the problems at the Department of Homeland Security are a matter of policy rather than personnel. Schumer said the Senate should not consider any DHS secretary nominee until DHS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement are "reined in."

Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, a member of the Homeland Security Committee, expressed support for Mullin. In a post, Fetterman said he was an "AYE" on confirming his colleague as the next DHS secretary, while noting he was unsure how many other Democrats would support the nomination.