President Donald Trump declared Thursday that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem would soon no longer lead the agency.
Trump announced that Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) will take over for Noem on March 31, adding that she would be tapped as the special envoy for the Shield of the Americas, a new security initiative in the Western Hemisphere.
‘In this new role, I will be able to build on the partnerships and national security expertise, I forged over the last 13 months as Secretary of Homeland Security.’
Trump’s decision followed reports that he had been displeased with Noem’s performance for months, rumors the White House rejected in December. Speculation emerged that Noem’s removal was a result of her testimony before House and Senate committees earlier this week, during which she claimed the president approved a $220 million DHS ad campaign, a claim the White House denied.
Noem reacted to Trump’s announcement by expressing her gratitude to the president, adding that she looks forward to collaborating with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in the new role.
“Thank you @POTUS Trump for appointing me as the Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas. @SecRubio and @SecWar are incredible leaders and I look forward to working with them closely to dismantle cartels that have poured drugs into our nation and killed our children and grandchildren,” Noem wrote.
“The Western Hemisphere is absolutely critical for U.S. security. In this new role, I will be able to build on the partnerships and national security expertise, I forged over the last 13 months as Secretary of Homeland Security,” she continued. “We have made historic accomplishments at the Department of Homeland Security to make America safe again: we delivered the MOST secure border in American history, 3 million illegal aliens have left the U.S., we have located 145,000 children, FEMA delivered disaster relief at a 100% faster rate, we ushered in the golden age of travel, saved the American taxpayer $13 billion and revitalized the U.S. Coast Guard.”
RELATED: Noem is OUT — and Trump has named her replacement
Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Some politicians expressed gratitude for Noem’s time at the DHS, while others celebrated her departure.
“I appreciate Secretary Noem’s service to our country. She will do a great job dealing with the drug cartels in her new role as Special Envoy for The Shield of Americas, and I know she will continue to contribute in the future. However, I think it was time for a change,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) stated.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) wrote, “President Trump was elected to secure our border, crack down on sanctuary cities and keep our country safe. I appreciate @Sec_Noem’s dedication to that mission. Thanks to the president’s leadership and her help, incredible progress has been made, and I know she will do a fantastic job as Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas.”
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) released a video reacting to the DHS leadership shake-up, saying, “Hey, Kristi Noem, don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”
RELATED: Government-paid traffickers? Noem testifies Biden administration funded abuse of migrant kids
Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images
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