Trump fires Kristi Noem as homeland security secretary

President Donald Trump on Thursday fired his embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after mounting criticism over her leadership of the department, including the handling of the administration’s immigration crackdown and disaster response.

Trump, who said he would nominate Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin in her place, made the announcement on social media after Noem faced a two-day grilling on Capitol Hill this week from GOP congress members as well as Democrats.

Noem’s departure marks a stunning turnaround for a close ally to the president who was tasked with steering his centerpiece policy of mass deportations. But she appeared to increasingly become a liability for Trump, with questions arising over her spending at her department and over her conduct in the aftermath of the shooting deaths of two protesters in Minneapolis earlier this year.

Trump said Noem “has served us well, and has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!).” He said he was making her a “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas,” a new security initiative that he said would focus on the Western Hemisphere.

Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, grilled Homeland Security Sec. Kristi Noem over her department granting a $200 million advertising contract to a strategy group run by one of her political associates.

Noem, who appeared at a law enforcement event in Nashville, Tennessee, moments after Trump’s announcement, did not address her ouster there. She read from prepared remarks and was not asked by attendees about the development.

Later, in a social media post, she thanked Trump for the new appointment and touted her accomplishments as secretary.

“We have made historic accomplishments at the Department of Homeland Security to make America safe again,” she wrote.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration will work with the GOP-led Senate to get Mullin, whom she called “extraordinarily qualified,” confirmed to lead DHS “as soon as possible.”

Noem is the first Cabinet secretary to leave during Trump’s second term. Noem’s departure caps a tumultuous tenure overseeing immigration enforcement tactics that have been met with protests and lawsuits.

NBC News reported earlier Thursday that Trump had grown frustrated with Noem after her performance this week during congressional hearings and had begun to consider possible replacements, citing lawmakers and people familiar with the discussions.

During two days of Hill testimony, Noem came under blistering criticism from Democrats — and a few Republicans — over allegations that under her authority, immigration officers have abused the rights of immigrants and American citizens and used excessive force. She was also slammed over how her department is spending the billions of dollars allocated to it by Congress and accused of dodging accountability.

Noem was repeatedly made to answer for her characterization of the two killed protesters, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, as armed agitators. Bystanders’ video and accounts have contradicted Noem’s depiction of events.

House Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., questioned Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem over her claims that Renée Good and Alex Pretti were labeled “domestic terrorists” by the Trump administration after confrontations with ICE officers in Minneapolis.

The top Democrat on the House committee, Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, pushed Noem about her comments.

“You told a lie about them. You said they were domestic terrorists,” Raskin said.

Other Democrats questioned why DHS officers used force to yank people out of vehicles or why they’d pulled an American citizen from his Minneapolis home in his pajamas.

Noem also faced criticism from some Republicans, including most notably retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who on Tuesday called her leadership a “disaster.”

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., called Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s leadership a “disaster” during a Senate oversight hearing and referenced her past admission of killing a dog and a goat.

Over the two days, Noem pushed back on the allegations, saying that Democrats didn’t have their facts correct and defended how her officers operate.

“We do targeted enforcement based on intelligence and go after the worst of the worst,” Noem said.

Speaking Tuesday of her comments after the shootings, Noem said she was relying on information from people on the scene and blamed “violent protesters” for contributing to the chaos officers encountered.

Noem’s department was infused with $170 billion, money granted by Congress that has since sparked questions over where and how it is being spent.

Colorado Rep. Joe Neguse accused the Department of Homeland Security of fraudulently granting a $143 million advertising contract to a company with ties to Sec. Kristi Noem’s political allies.

The secretary on Wednesday was asked about her department’s decision to carry out a $220 million ad campaign featuring Noem that encouraged people in the country illegally to leave voluntarily.

Democrats and Sen. John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, questioned whether the contracts went through a competitive bidding process and whether Noem’s associates unfairly benefited from the process.

Noem argued that bids for the ads were properly submitted, but Kennedy said his research shows “you did not bid them out” and, in one instance, chose a company that was formed “11 days before you picked them.”

“You’re using millions of dollars of taxpayer money in this way,” said Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse, who called it fraud. “Ultimately I think there’s going to be accountability.”

Sen. Markwayne Mullin told reporters he found out he would be nominated as Homeland Security secretary “a little bit before you guys did.” President Donald Trump announced he would replace Kristi Noem with Mullin.

Noem said the spending was carried out lawfully and claimed that Trump signed off on it. The White House on Thursday denied those claiming, telling NBC News that the president “absolutely” did not sign off on a $220 million dollar ad campaign.

Aside from immigration, Noem also faced criticism — including from Republicans — over the pace of emergency funding approved through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and for the Trump administration’s response to disasters.

Mullin would need to be confirmed by the Senate, but under a federal law governing executive branch vacancies, he would be allowed to serve as an acting Homeland Security secretary as long as his nomination is formally pending.

Voting in the Senate just after Trump’s announcement, Mullin said he has “no idea” how quickly his nomination will move.

Here are five things to know about the Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who was nominated by the President Donald Trump to lead the Department of Homeland Security.

“The president and I are good friends. So we look forward to working closer with the White House, and obviously I’m gonna be over there a lot more,” he said.