Trump FIRES Kristi Noem in first Cabinet ouster after brutal Capitol Hill drubbing
President Donald Trump has fired Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and announced Senator Markwayne Mullin will replace her, marking the first Cabinet-level termination of his second term.
The 'last straw' came when Noem told Senator John Kennedy under oath that she'd been given Trump's approval for a $220million taxpayer-funded campaign designed to boost her national profile.
She testified that the multi-million dollar ad campaign was signed off on by the President when pressed by Congress under oath this week. 'I never knew anything about it,' he told Reuters in an interview on Thursday.
The Daily Mail has broken multiple stories on Noem's turbulent tenure as the Department of Homeland Security Secretary, ranging from her handling of the deaths of two Americans in Minneapolis at the hands of DHS agents, her lavish spending and rumored extramarital affair.
Noem has been under heavy scrutiny for her alleged affair with her top advisor, Corey Lewandowski. Both Noem and Lewandowski have denied the affair.
Later on Thursday, Trump announced that Senator Mullin of Oklahoma would be nominated to become the next DHS Secretary. Mullin's office did not immediately respond to the Daily Mail's request for comment.
'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 posted on Truth Social.
'The current Secretary, Kristi Noem, who has served us well, and has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!),' Trump wrote. She will now become Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, a new White House security initiative, the President added.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem films an ad at Mount Rushmore. The ad was a part of a $220million campaign to recruit more DHS workers. Noem said Trump signed off on the expense, but the President refuted that
Trump announced that Senator Markwayne Mullin will be nominated to become the next DHS Secretary
The 'last straw' came when Noem told Senator John Kennedy under oath this week that she'd been given Trump's approval for a $220million taxpayer-funded campaign designed to boost her national profile
The President lauded Mullin for his Native American roots and claimed the Senator 'will make a spectacular Secretary of Homeland Security'.
Officials within DHS and ICE are celebrating the news of Noem's departure, sources have revealed to the Daily Mail.
One DHS source told the Daily Mail that staff in the department's headquarters are cheering the news: ‘Everyone is happy, lots of smiles.
‘Morale had taken a hit. There’s a feeling among a lot of folks here that the department can finally reset and refocus on operations instead of internal turmoil.'
There’s also an expectation that Lewandowski will follow her out the door. ‘He will go because he knows Mullin will toss him,’ the source added. It is unclear if the advisor will depart DHS along with the secretary.
Another DHS insider said Trump had been preparing to fire her for days, but that her performance on Tuesday ‘gave him cover’ to do so immediately.
Meanwhile, an ICE official at the department's headquarters told the Daily Mail, ‘Crowds are celebrating. Lots of phone calls. Texts. People stopping by to celebrate.'
A Senate panel grilled Noem about the ad campaign and the process through which the money was allocated for it.
Mullin told reporters hours before Trump's announcement that he had not talked to the President this week and he wouldn't weigh in on 'hypotheticals' about him replacing Noem
Noem told lawmakers on Tuesday that there was 'a competitive process' to award the contract for the campaign and that it was 'all done correctly, all done legally'.
One of the ads cut from the $220million project showed Noem wearing a cowboy hat, riding a horse in front of Mt. Rushmore.
Noem defenders were surprised by the heat she took from members of Congress during her appearance in the Senate this week.
They expected confrontation from Sen. Thom Tillis, who is a Trump critic on his way out after announcing he would not run for reelection.
They did not expect confrontation from Republican Senator Kennedy, who publicly berated Noem.
‘He just kicked the teeth out of her,’ one insider said. ‘That came out of nowhere.’
Insiders familiar with the situation heard that at the very least Lewandowski would be out by this weekend, but that could be moot if both of them would be out in weeks.
On paper, Lewandowski is a special government employee, so it’s easy to force him out on a timeline basis.
The Daily Mail has broken multiple stories on Kristi Noem's turbulent tenure as the Department of Homeland Security Secretary
Trump had batted down questions about firing Noem in February before ousting her in March
Noem has been labeled as 'ICE Barbie' for myriad photoshoots showing Noem in full makeup, posing with guns and bulletproof vests
But there is no Kristi Noem without Corey, he singlehandedly lobbied Trump to get her the position and she would be without her biggest defender.
The White House grew tired of weekly stories of scandal and infighting, as Susie Wiles had long had enough of her theatrics.
‘It’s like who doesn’t she fight with,’ a source familiar told the Daily Mail.
Trump chose Senator Mullin of Oklahoma partially to avoid a confrontational Senate confirmation process, one source told the Daily Mail.
He would have likely elevated Homan, but there was real doubt that Homan could get the 60 votes necessary to get confirmation.
Pressed on Thursday whether he is under consideration to lead DHS, Mullin dodged the question.
'Listen, I haven't talked to the President all week, so I couldn't even help you with that answer,' he said.
When asked if he is interested in the job, Mullin again shot down the inquiry.
'I'm actually absolutely not dealing with hypotheticals,' he shot back.
Hours after his remarks, Trump announced Mullin would replace Noem.
Mullin later told reporters he found out about his appointment right before the President published his statement.
A source familiar with the matter said Trump settled on Mullin in part because he comes from a safe seat in heavily Republican Oklahoma and ‘looks good on television’.
‘This is super high-risk. The department is shut down,’ the source said. ‘They went to the reddest state in the union to replace her.’
Noem’s firing comes as the vast majority of the department remains shuttered due to a lapse in congressional funding. The source said Mullin could be the figure who gets DHS up and running again.
The ad campaign and the alleged affair are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Noem's controversies.
Sources within DHS and ICE celebrated Noem's ouster on Thursday
The DHS Secretary caught flak earlier this year when her agents shot and killed two Americans - Renee Good and Alex Pretti - during immigration operations in Minnesota.
She has also been slammed as 'ICE Barbie' for myriad photoshoots showing Noem in full makeup, posing with guns and bulletproof vests.
Noem's ouster marks the first Cabinet-level firing of Trump's second term.
The President previously removed Michael Waltz as national security advisor to ambassador to the UN, though that reassignment was not at the Cabinet level.
DHS did not immediately respond to the Daily Mail's request for comment.
Trump's announcement that Mullin will replace Noem immediately garnered support from lawmakers.
'I'm not sure how many fellow Democrats will vote to support our colleague [Senator Mullin] as the next DHS Secretary, but I am AYE,' Democratic Senator John Fetterman posted on X.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina reacted: 'President Trump could not have chosen a better candidate to be Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security than Senator Markwayne Mullin.
'He is one of the most knowledgeable people I know regarding how to protect America. Markwayne is an outstanding choice and I hope he gets the overwhelmingly bipartisan vote that he deserves.'
