Trump fires Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- President Donald Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem following criticism over her leadership in immigration enforcement and disaster response, announcing Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin as her replacement.
- Noem faced bipartisan scrutiny, particularly over a $220 million ad campaign urging undocumented immigrants to leave voluntarily and her handling of the Minneapolis protests where two protesters were killed by immigration officers.
- Despite Trump praising Noem’s border security results, her tenure was marred by controversy over department spending and her refusal to apologize for mischaracterizing the Minneapolis incidents during Congressional testimony.
- Mullin, who must be Senate-confirmed but can serve as acting secretary during the process, will assume leadership of DHS amid ongoing immigration enforcement challenges and a partial government shutdown affecting the department
