On Thursday afternoon, President Donald Trump made a move that sent shockwaves through Washington but had been quietly anticipated for weeks. On March 5, 2026, he officially ousted Kristi Noem from her position as the Secretary of Homeland Security. This marks the first major Cabinet firing of Trump’s second term in office.
The announcement, delivered via a post on Truth Social, praised Noem’s work on border security but made it crystal clear that her time leading the massive federal agency was over. Starting March 31, 2026, Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin will take the reins at DHS. Meanwhile, Noem has been reassigned to a newly created role: Special Envoy for the “Shield of the Americas,” a Western Hemisphere security initiative.
But behind the polite public statements lies a highly turbulent story. Noem’s departure caps off a deeply controversial tenure marked by financial scandals, intense congressional hearings, and the tragic deaths of two American citizens in Minnesota. Here is a detailed breakdown of the exact events that led to Kristi Noem losing one of the most powerful jobs in the federal government.
The $220 Million Disagreement
While tensions had been simmering for months, the immediate catalyst for her dismissal was a contentious, two-day congressional hearing earlier this week. Lawmakers aggressively grilled the former South Dakota governor over a $220 million taxpayer-funded advertising campaign. The commercials, which prominently featured footage of Noem riding a horse near Mount Rushmore, were ostensibly designed to encourage undocumented immigrants to leave the country voluntarily. However, critics from both sides of the aisle viewed it as a thinly veiled promotional push to boost her own national profile ahead of a potential 2028 presidential run.
During her sworn testimony, Noem told Republican Senator John Kennedy that Trump had personally approved the massive expenditure. The president quickly and publicly contradicted her. In an interview with Reuters, Trump explicitly stated, “I never knew anything about it.” According to internal reports, the president was furious that Noem attempted to shift the blame for the extravagant ad buy onto him, especially after it was revealed that the contracts were awarded to firms with close ties to her political allies.
The Minneapolis Shootings and the DHS Shutdown
The most severe crisis of Noem’s tenure happened earlier this year in Minneapolis. Federal immigration agents deployed to the city shot and killed two U.S. citizen protesters, Renee Good and Alex Pretti. The incident sparked immediate national outrage and widespread protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tactics.
Instead of calming the situation, Noem escalated the tension. Without waiting for local investigations to conclude, she publicly labeled the deceased as “domestic terrorists.” She claimed the agents fired defensive shots to disarm Pretti, stating he was brandishing a weapon. However, bystander video completely undercut her narrative, showing that Pretti was disarmed before the fatal shots were fired and never reached for his gun. Noem refused to retract her statements or apologize, and faced heavy criticism for initially barring local investigators from accessing the crime scenes.
The political fallout was massive. Outraged Senate Democrats completely blocked funding for the Department of Homeland Security, leading to a partial shutdown that has now dragged on for nearly three weeks. Thousands of DHS employees have been working without pay, and lawmakers made it clear that the agency would not see funding restored as long as Noem remained at the helm.
Luxury Jets and Internal Department Chaos
As if a $220 million ad campaign and a department shutdown were not enough, Noem faced intense scrutiny over her spending habits. During the exact time her agency was starved for cash, she authorized the purchase of two Gulfstream G700 luxury jets for an estimated $172 million, arguing they were necessary for long-range command operations.
Furthermore, reports of severe mismanagement and unprofessional conduct leaked to the press. The Wall Street Journal published an exposé detailing her alleged extramarital relationship with her senior adviser, former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. The report highlighted a chaotic work environment where staff were subjected to polygraph tests. In one bizarre incident, Lewandowski reportedly fired a Coast Guard pilot because someone forgot to retrieve Noem’s blanket from a previous flight. The pilot had to be immediately rehired simply because there was no one else available to fly the plane.
Additionally, state governors from both parties expressed deep frustration with her handling of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), pointing to severe delays in disaster relief funding following the 2025 Texas floods and Hurricane Helene.
What Happens Next? Enter Markwayne Mullin
To stabilize the ship, Trump nominated Markwayne Mullin, a staunch ally and former mixed martial arts fighter. Mullin is a vocal defender of ICE and has firmly supported the administration’s strict deportation policies. Trump referred to him as a “Maga warrior” who will bring discipline and competence back to the department.
Mullin’s immediate priority will be negotiating with Congress to end the 20-day DHS shutdown. With Noem out of the picture, political analysts expect lawmakers to finally pass a funding resolution, though Democrats are still demanding reforms, such as requiring ICE agents to wear body cameras and unmask themselves while on duty.
As for Kristi Noem, her reassignment to the “Shield of the Americas” allows the administration to quietly shuffle her out of the spotlight without a completely messy public break. But her brief, chaotic run as Homeland Security Secretary will be remembered as one of the most turbulent chapters in modern federal agency history.