Trump Fires DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, Will Nominate Sen. Markwayne Mullin and Make Her Special Envoy for ‘Shield of the Americas’
President Trump announced on March 5, 2026 that he had removed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, will nominate Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace her (effective March 31, per his Truth Social post), and will make Noem a special envoy for a new "Shield of the Americas" initiative. The decision follows two days of combative congressional hearings and bipartisan criticism over Noem’s Minneapolis immigration operation, a controversial $220 million DHS ad campaign, internal DHS turmoil and her public characterization of two U.S. citizens killed during the operation.
📌 Key Facts
- President Trump fired DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on March 5, 2026 via a social‑media post and said he will nominate Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace her, with an effective start date for Mullin of March 31, 2026.
- Trump announced Noem will become Special Envoy for a new 'Shield of the Americas' security initiative.
- Noem's ouster followed two days of contentious House and Senate Judiciary hearings and bipartisan criticism of her DHS leadership, making her the first cabinet secretary to leave in Trump’s second term.
- A focal point of the controversy was a $220 million DHS border‑security ad campaign that prominently featured Noem; she testified Trump approved it, but Trump denied signing off and Sen. John Kennedy said he was angry when he learned of the buy.
- The Minnesota operation was a tipping point: Noem deployed roughly 3,000 officers there, two U.S. citizens (Renee Good and Alex Pretti) were killed during the surge, and Noem publicly labeled the victims 'domestic terrorists' before investigations and amid conflicting video — Trump later sent border czar Tom Homan to take over operations in Minnesota.
- The department has faced broader turmoil: DHS has been effectively shut down for weeks with many employees furloughed (reportedly about 100,000), some working without pay; senior departures include former ICE deputy Madison Sheahan and top spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, and the DHS inspector general raised accusations of obstruction.
- Local leaders reacted strongly: Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz applauded Noem’s departure, with Walz calling for a comprehensive overhaul of DHS.
- Reporting indicates Trump had been considering removing Noem for months as immigration grew politically unpopular, blaming her 'heavy‑handed tactics' and the negative headlines; longtime aide Corey Lewandowski is reported to have helped keep her in the job longer before her ouster.
📊 Relevant Data
From 2020 to 2024, over 81,000 immigrants moved to Minnesota, making immigration the primary driver of population change and contributing to economic and demographic shifts in the state.
Immigration became the leading component of population growth in Minnesota this decade — Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
Immigrants contribute $26 billion to Minnesota's economy, making up nearly 1 in 9 workers statewide and disproportionately contributing to sectors like health care and child care.
Economist: Immigrants contribute $26 billion to Minnesota's economy — MPR News
Major push factors for Somali immigration to Minnesota include civil war, famine, drought, and ethnic conflict, with Minnesota hosting the largest Somali diaspora in the US due to resettlement programs.
How Minnesota became a hub for Somali immigrants in the U.S. — NPR
In 2025, the most common nationalities among ICE deportees in the US were Mexican, Guatemalan, and Honduran, accounting for the majority of removals.
In 2025, 56% of registered US voters supported deporting all illegal immigrants, with support at 93% among Republicans, 43% among Democrats, and 67% among independents.
Majority of Americans support deporting immigrants who are in the US illegally — Ipsos
📰 Source Timeline (7)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
March 05, 2026
8:37 PM
Kristi Noem out as Homeland Security secretary
New information:
- Details that Noem’s ouster came one day after two combative days of congressional hearings where she was grilled about DHS officers’ tactics in Minnesota and her relationship with special government employee Corey Lewandowski.
- Additional context that Noem led a brutal immigration operation in Minnesota in which DHS officers killed two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, whom she publicly labeled as domestic terrorists in ways that appeared to conflict with real‑time video footage.
- On‑the‑record reactions from Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, both applauding her departure while Walz calls for a complete overhaul of DHS.
- Reporting that after Pretti’s death Trump sidelined Noem in Minnesota by sending border czar Tom Homan to take over operations there.
- Fresh color on the $220 million border‑security ad blitz featuring Noem, including her claim in a Senate hearing that Trump approved the campaign and Sen. John Kennedy’s counter that Trump was “mad as a murder hornet” after learning of it.
8:20 PM
The Tea, Spilled by Morning Joe: Kristi Noem is out
New information:
- MSNBC’s Jonathan Lemire says Trump had been considering moving Noem out for months, not just in response to the most recent hearings and headlines.
- Lemire reports that Trump viewed immigration becoming unpopular in polling and personally blamed Noem’s 'heavy-handed tactics' for damaging his signature issue.
- The segment adds that the breaking point for Trump was the Minnesota operation in which two Americans were killed by federal officers and Noem then publicly and, according to Lemire, misleadingly labeled the shooting victims 'domestic terrorists.'
- Corey Lewandowski, described as close to both Trump and Noem, is said to have actually helped keep Noem in the job longer, with Trump’s decision ultimately driven by the volume and political toxicity of negative headlines and his dislike of aides drawing more attention than him.
7:20 PM
Kristi Noem out as Secretary of Homeland Security, Trump says
New information:
- Trump’s Truth Social post sets an effective date of March 31, 2026 for Markwayne Mullin to become DHS secretary.
- Trump publicly praises Noem’s 'spectacular results' on the border and says she will become special envoy for a new 'Shield of the Americas' security initiative.
- CBS reporting ties Trump’s displeasure with Noem directly to her Senate Judiciary testimony over a $220 million DHS ad campaign that prominently featured her and allegedly involved former political associates.
- Sen. John Kennedy says Trump called him after the hearing and was 'not a happy cowboy,' disputing Noem’s claim that Trump approved the $220 million ad buy in advance.
- Sen. Thom Tillis told Noem in the same hearing that 'what we've seen is a disaster under your leadership,' citing wrongful detentions of U.S. citizens and criticism over her 'domestic terrorist' labeling of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
- CBS notes that after Trump installed border czar Tom Homan to wind down the Minneapolis operation, ICE shifted focus more toward immigrants with criminal records and scaled back roving Border Patrol operations in major cities.
7:20 PM
Trump fires Kristi Noem as DHS chief, names Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace her
New information:
- NPR explicitly characterizes Noem’s exit as Trump having 'fired' her, while confirming his social-media post that she will become Special Envoy for the 'Shield of the Americas' security initiative.
- The article emphasizes Noem is the first cabinet secretary to leave in Trump’s second term and ties the move directly to two days of contentious questioning by Congress over her leadership.
- NPR details additional internal DHS turmoil: former ICE deputy director Madison Sheahan left at the start of the year to run for Congress, and top DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin departed last month.
- The piece expands on the bipartisan backlash to Noem’s Minneapolis immigration surge, noting she deployed 3,000 officers there and that two U.S. citizens were killed, triggering sharp criticism from Republican Sens. Thom Tillis and Lisa Murkowski and other GOP voices.
- NPR recounts that Noem labeled Alex Pretti—a 37‑year‑old shot by two Border Patrol agents—a 'domestic terrorist' before any investigation had begun, which drew condemnation from within her own party.
- During early‑March House and Senate Judiciary hearings, as DHS was in its third week of a shutdown, Noem testified that about 100,000 DHS employees were furloughed, including personnel in cybersecurity and disaster relief.
- The article notes a letter from DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari accusing Noem’s department of 'systematically obstructed the work of the DHS Office of...' (the piece references the letter as part of the scrutiny she faced).
- NPR reiterates that Mullin has been a staunch defender of Trump’s immigration agenda and quotes Trump calling him a 'MAGA Warrior' and praising him as the only Native American in the Senate, underscoring the political framing of the nomination.
7:02 PM
Kristi Noem out as Homeland Security secretary, Trump says | Special Report
New information:
- CBS frames the development as significant enough to warrant a network 'special report' anchored by Major Garrett, underscoring the immediacy and perceived gravity of the announcement.
- The segment language — 'Kristi Noem out as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security' — reinforces that Trump is publicly presenting this as a removal rather than a voluntary transition.
6:51 PM
Trump replacing Noem as Homeland Security secretary
New information:
- Confirms the firing occurred "Thursday" (March 5, 2026) and that Trump made the announcement on social media.
- Adds that Noem stepped onto a DHS event stage moments after the firing announcement and delivered prepared remarks without mentioning her ouster.
- Explicitly ties Noem’s downfall to hearings this week where she faced "rare but blistering criticism" from Republicans as well as Democrats.
- Provides additional context that DHS has been shut down for 20 days with many employees still working, often without pay.
- Restates that Trump told Reuters he did not sign off on the $220 million ad campaign after Noem testified that he was aware of it.
- Spells out that Noem is the first cabinet secretary to leave during Trump’s second term and reiterates criticism over FEMA/emergency funding pace.