Trump Administration Personnel Changes

President Trump has fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem — citing bipartisan fury after two combative days of hearings and growing scrutiny over a $220 million DHS ad campaign, spending and management controversies, and the political fallout from a Minnesota immigration surge that saw two U.S. citizens killed — and announced he will nominate Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace her. Minneapolis Latino business owners say the December crackdown has left dozens of shops shuttered and sales collapsed, with the city estimating roughly $203 million in economic losses and tens of thousands pushed into food insecurity, and residents warning recovery and trust in enforcement remain fragile.

At a Thursday book‑tour stop in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said President Donald Trump is "in retreat" after firing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, calling her ouster the "first firing of a high‑profile Cabinet member" and a sign of a weakening presidency. Newsom argued that the "dark heart of the administration is not Kristi Noem, it's Stephen Miller," labeling the White House deputy chief of staff the architect of Trump’s mass‑deportation agenda and saying Miller "needs to be next" to go. He tied his critique to Trump’s 2025 decision to send National Guard troops into California in response to immigration protests, claiming that move bore Noem’s fingerprints but followed Miller’s "handbook." The appearance, part of Newsom’s national tour for his book "Young Man in a Hurry," also highlighted record Democratic primary turnout in Texas this week, which he framed as evidence that Trump is "the leader of the get out the vote for the Democratic Party" ahead of the 2026 midterms. His swing through early primary states including South Carolina, Nevada and New Hampshire is fueling speculation about a 2028 presidential run as Democrats and Republicans alike parse what Noem’s removal means for Trump’s immigration strategy and inner circle.