Secretary Kristi Noem is out as Homeland Security Secretary

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he is replacing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem with Sen. Markwayne Mullin. "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 said in a social media post. Noem will become special envoy for the Shield of Americas, a new security initiative in the Western Hemisphere. Her exit comes after her testimony this week before House and Senate committees, where she was pressed by both parties on a number of issues, including the deadly use of force against U.S. citizens in Minnesota. A few lawmakers called for her resignation in the hearings. Trump reportedly spoke to Republican lawmakers about his frustration with her performances in those hearings. During her time leading the Department of Homeland Security, Noem faced criticism from Democrats and some Republicans over her conduct while overseeing Trump's immigration crackdown. The agency, which is currently affected by a partial government shutdown, has been roiled by widespread backlash over its aggressive tactics. The job of Homeland Security secretary, a Cabinet position, requires Senate confirmation. Watch PBS News for daily, breaking and live news, plus special coverage. We are home to PBS News Hour, ranked the most credible and objective TV news show. Sign up for Here's The Deal with Lisa Desjardins: https://to.pbs.org/41q6E8i Subscribe for exclusive content in our newsletters: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/subscribe PBS News podcasts: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/podcasts Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG Find more from PBS News at https://www.pbs.org/newshour Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2HfsCD6 Follow us: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pbsnews X: http://www.twitter.com/newshour Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/newshour Facebook: http://www.pbs.org/newshour