Trump fires DHS chief Kristi Noem; Mullin named replacement

Washington — President Donald Trump fired Kristi Noem as head of the Department of Homeland Security, marking a dramatic early second-term shakeup. Rank-and-file DHS staff and White House allies alike described a sense of relief and celebration after learning the news, with some reportedly crying out of happiness.

Trump announced that Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin, a long-time MAGA ally and former mixed martial arts fighter, would replace Noem at the helm. Noem will be named “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas,” a post that will take effect when she leaves her current post at month’s end.

Discontent over Noem’s year-long tenure was especially pronounced at FEMA, where workers said policy changes slowed disaster-response efforts. A staffer who has worked under Noem told reporters that the agency can “function again” once the leadership changes take hold. In a pointed remark reflecting the mood in some wings of the administration, one veteran staffer reportedly said, “Anyone is better than that dog murderer,” a reference to a memoir anecdote about a dog Noem described shooting when it was untrainable.

Reaction from lawmakers and aides was mixed but generally tempered relief. Democrats in states Noem oversaw immigration enforcement policy welcomed more steady oversight, while White House supporters styled the move as a necessary reset to the agency’s operations. Mullin’s proximity to the White House and his MAGA credentials are expected to shape DHS policy on border security, disaster relief, and agency staffing, though many caution the real test will be day-to-day management of a sprawling department.

With Noem exiting at the end of the month, the transition will hinge on how Mullin stabilizes FEMA’s disaster-response timeline and restores working relationships with federal partners. The change signals a broader push at the White House to reshuffle top national-security leadership as the administration pursues its security and immigration agenda.

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