By THE ALASKA STORY
March 5, 2026 – President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he will replace Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, marking one of the first major cabinet-level personnel changes of his second term.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Noem will step down at the end of the month, effective March 31, and that he intends to nominate Markwayne Mullin to lead the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Trump praised Noem’s service but signaled a transition in leadership.
“Secretary Kristi Noem has served us well and delivered numerous and spectacular results,” Trump wrote. “I thank her for her tremendous service to our country.”
Despite the public praise, the move follows weeks of mounting criticism and scrutiny surrounding Noem’s leadership at DHS. According to multiple reports from Washington, frustration with her performance had been growing within the administration.
Noem faced difficult questioning earlier this week during appearances before the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. Lawmakers from both parties pressed her on immigration enforcement policies and the department’s handling of several controversial incidents.
One of the most contentious issues involved a confrontation earlier this year in Minneapolis in which federal agents fatally shot two protesters who engaged in violence. Members of Congress demanded further explanation about the chain of command and rules of engagement used by federal authorities.
Another controversy centered on a $220 million advertising campaign contract issued by DHS that drew scrutiny from lawmakers over potential favoritism and questions about procurement practices.
During the hearings, lawmakers also raised questions about allegations that Noem had a personal relationship with political adviser Corey Lewandowski. The allegations surfaced during tense exchanges and added to the political pressure surrounding her tenure.
Although Trump’s statement framed the move as a transition, news outlets described Noem’s departure as an ouster.
Noem, who previously served as governor of South Dakota and earlier represented the state in Congress, was confirmed as Homeland Security secretary in early 2025 following Trump’s return to the White House.
According to administration officials, Noem will move into a new position as special envoy for what the administration calls the “Shield of the Americas,” a Western Hemisphere security initiative focused on migration, drug trafficking, and regional security cooperation.
Trump’s nomination of Mullin will require confirmation by the US Senate. Mullin, a former House member and business owner who has represented Oklahoma in the Senate since 2023, has been a strong supporter of Trump’s border security agenda. His departure from the Senate will mean he must be replaced; Oklahoma law requires Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt to appoint a temporary replacement from the same political party as Mullin, who is Republican.
If confirmed, he would take charge of the department responsible for border enforcement, immigration services, disaster response, and domestic security at a time when immigration policy remains one of the most contentious issues in national politics.
30 thoughts on “Breaking: Kristi Noem out at Homeland Security chief”
Good, it shouldn’t have taken this long. He’s not better than her. The swamp getting deeper.
Contradiction. You say it is “good;” then you describe how its “not better.”
The $200 million plus advertising campaign with the narcissistic Secretary at the center was nauseating. This is not what people voted for.
I am pretty sure people did vote for narcissism.
Justice for Cricket!!!
Karma is a thing, and in this case, quite happily, it acted with alacrity.
I needed some good news.
So you’re saying not everything Trump does is wrong…
Although Trump”s action was improperly motivated by the usual jealousy and vanity, the outcome was welcome. We’ll take whatever victories we get. But I wouldn’t want to be her dog when she gets home tonight…
Sadly, the replacement, MMArkwayne Mullen will be just as bad. He’a a nasty, pugilistic piece of work who should have stuck with fixing drain pipes.
SStephen Miller next, please.
What an interesting collection of comments. The gleeful delight is quite unseemly, but I sadly expected no less from certain corners.
Secretary Noem had an unenviable and difficult task. Nobody would ever be truly happy with what she did to enforce the laws on the books, that had been ignored for so many years and reinforced by political entities hellbent on obstruction via sanctuary declarations and lax prosecutions.
That being said the ad campaign was an unforced error on her part, reinforcing the “DHS barbie” image her detractors painted her in. I watch the committee meetings and saw the level of disdain, disrespect and innuendo leveled at her. The conversation had become focused on her personally and not on the task at hand. I understand why the president asked her to move to other areas. It is telling that democrats still refused to fund DHS and the men and women who are protecting this country, currently for free not knowing how to pay their mortgage and food for their children, after Sec. Noem was asked to leave (which I believe was a point of contention on their part.) That lack of consideration for this country and the people who make it work, should disqualify any of them to be in the job they are in.
I am quite happy with Markwayne Mullins as his choice for the next secretary of DHS. I have watch him in many a committee hearing. He is plain spoken and does not brook any Bravo Sierra.
Taxpayer, yours is a well-made, logical, comment. The critics have low resolution views.
Every single illegal must go. DHS needs to go harder. Go after employers of illegals.
I voted for this ^^^, and I want more of it.
Micah. Did you read about the abduction of Sonia Espinoza Arriaga of Soldotna? Do you know why she and her three children were cattled off to elsewhere? I’ll tell you: she missed an immigration related court date. Sensible thinkers objected saying BFD. She and her family were following the process to become American citizens. Would you call them criminals Micah? Is there a wee bit of common sense and compassion in you?
Micah is motivated solely by hatred, and not by logic. If he actually thought this through (instead of just repeating MAGA dogma), he’d realize that, violent criminals aside, these immigrants are not actually harming him in any way. Yet he seethes with anger and animosity. Eventually, they will pay for his Medicare and Social Security, if they aren’t already.
“he’d realize that, violent criminals aside, these immigrants are not actually harming him in any way. ”
Respectfully Hans I beg to differ.
Micah’s tax dollars are used to support these illegals. Their kids compete for school services, over-run emergency rooms and use healthcare dollars they did not contribute to. They compete for a limited stock of affordable housing, which is then paid for by some welfare program or other, again paid for by Micah and other American taxpayers. All these resources are finite, which means that Micah not only has to pay but sees his offerings greatly reduce due to the high influx of illegals. This also extents to the job market where “cheap illegal labor” drives him out. Have you talked to professional truck drives lately??
Did you also know that legal immigrants are barred from access to ANY government social services for a number of years when they first arrive at our shores, have to have a sponsor or adequate financial means to establish residency and provide for themselves? They also are subjected to a criminal background check and health exam along with language and skills testing for certain visas.
Lastly considering that illegals are prohibited and will not be issued a social security number, means they do not contribute to the system(see cheap labor above). As a country we have the right to control our borders and who comes into this country. Sneaking in circumvents that process and put immense strain on services (just ask CA or see all the fraud in MN). That is simply unacceptable and hurting all!
Make them legal and they will be just like you and Micah. Except not white.
“Make them legal and they will be just like you and Micah. Except not white.”
Evan why do you advocate rewarding illicit behavior with the very privileges it takes many legal immigrants YEARS to attain? How is that fair or legal? None of us have a choice of who our parents are and where we were born. That random fact does not give anyone the right to simply demand and take, or flaunt the laws a society has deemed necessary for its continued peace and stability.
Sadly your preoccupation with race is completely misplaced and presumptive in nature, concluding that our argument has to do with skin color instead of illegal behavior. Nothing could be further from the truth.
In essence you are saying that only non-white illegals should get amnesty….that says a great deal about you, Evan!
Illegal alien, that is the legal term. She was here illegally which means, by definition she was a criminal. Clearly she was not following the process of becoming an American citizen. She and her family were returned to her legal country of residence, just like would happen to any American who illegally tried to reside in just about any other country in the world.
Apparently she WAS following the process. Does her violation match the punishment? I don’t think so. Why disrupt an entire family because of what is essentially a typo.
She WAS definitely NOT following the legal process, no apparently about it. As you said “she missed an immigration related court date”. She was here illegally and she couldn’t be bothered to go to court for an immigration court date, clearly indicating she was not following the process.
Blowing off scheduled court hearings is NOT a minor issue. Full stop. And such hearings, which are the cornerstone of “due process” are very much part of “the rule of law” that the Left is always citing.
JMARK,
Just a quick point of correction, the left only cites “due process” and “the rule of law” when it serves their purpose, otherwise they completely disregard both.
Yes indeed, employer corruption is widespread.
A Taxpayer. Sonia Espinoza Arriaga missed a court appearance, probably cuz of a language barrier. Who knows. So what. She reschedules. In my little home town (hey Micah – I live in Bangladesh! har har) I didn’t fill out a DMV title transfer application form correctly. I corrected it and returned to DMV. I DID NOT GET ARRESTED AND DEPORTED BECAUSE OF MY NAME OR MY APPEARANCE. That’s what happened to Arriaga, but you hard ass racist MAGA types are quite happy to find a technicality that removes the great unwashed dark skinned sinners from your eyes. Very unChristian, very ethically constipated and a yucky contribution to the fall of American democracy.
Evan,
There’s a massive difference between filling out DMV paperwork for a title transfer incorrectly and being in a foreign country illegally. The fact you conflate the two shows just how misguided you are, well that and that you also conflate race and nationality.
No
Your best response to date Evan. You know you are so completely wrong all you can muster is two letters…not even a feeble attempt on your part.
“Sonia Espinoza Arriaga missed a court appearance, probably cuz of a language barrier.”
First Evan why do you automatically assume that anyone with non-white skin is either less educated or less capable and that somehow is an excuse for their behavior?
She failed to appear for a court hearing on Jan. 13. From the ICE statement, she also ignored an order to report to ICE, so a final order of deportation was issued by the court. It is my understanding that she had an asylum claim and I surmise that this was a court date to determine final disposition of her case. That would explain why she did not show and the ICE agents picked her up, after she did not respond to their order to report voluntarily.
Second, I seriously wonder what you really know about the inner workings of our republic. Your pathetic attempt to equate your DMV issues with her situation is simply ludicrous. If you do not show up to court a bench warrant or in this case an order of removal is issued. The court has that power. The DMV is not a law enforcement entity. They can suspend or cancel your license after legal proceedings and issue fines for certain items. That’s it! Read a bit, it will do you good!