Trump Announces He Is Replacing Noem With Oklahoma Senator
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- President Trump fired Kristi Noem as homeland security secretary, citing frustration that culminated after her contentious congressional hearings, and announced Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma as her replacement.
- Noem will transition to a new role as special envoy for the Shield of the Americas, a newly created security initiative for the Western Hemisphere, while remaining in her current position until March 31.
- The firing was triggered by Noem’s testimony under threat of perjury, where she claimed Trump approved government ads featuring her, a statement Trump denied, causing his anger.
- Controversy also surrounded Noem's spending on private jets and allegations from an inspector general that she had obstructed investigations, compounding the scrutiny on her tenure.
