US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he will replace “Home Protection Minister” Kristi Noem with Oklahoma senator Markwayne Mullin. Mullin will take office on March 31.
In his statement Trump praised Noem, saying she had “provided outstanding service and achieved numerous remarkable successes”. Noem will be named special envoy for “The Shield of the Americas” a new security initiative for the Western Hemisphere that the administration plans to unveil on Saturday in Doral, Florida.
Trump highlighted that Mullin has represented Oklahoma’s people in both the House and the Senate, noting that he won all 77 of Oklahoma’s congressional districts in 2016, 2020 and 2024. He called Mullin a “devoted MAGA adherent” who will work “with all his might to secure our borders, deter migrant crime, stop murderers and other criminals from illegally entering our country, combat the drug scourge, and restore safety to America”.
Noem’s departure comes amid intense criticism. Democrats have accused her of hastily abandoning her post after the deaths of two U.S. citizens during deportation raids.