Three Department of Homeland Security officials expressed optimism after President Donald Trump announced he is appointing Sen. Markwayne Mullin to lead the agency while reassigning Kristi Noem to a new position.
“I think there was kind of a sense of relief, and I think optimism,” an agency official told The Daily Signal. “I mean, I think there’s still a lot more that DHS can do in this administration, and I think Sen. Mullin, you know, he’s going to bring a fresh perspective, fresh change, and get us back on track and not have so much drama and distractions that get in the way of the president’s agenda.”
Another DHS official said he was “looking forward to seeing how Sen. Mullin leads the agency.”
“I’m very optimistic,” he added.
Trump on Thursday thanked Noem for her service to the “Homeland” and announced her appointment “to be Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, our new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere,” in a post on Truth Social.
Another DHS official told The Daily Signal the move could result in a more unified agency.
“I think this is a great relief that, you know, maybe there’s a chance to have one unified team at DHS working on these really high-priority presidential missions,” the official said.
Noem faced scrutiny and criticism in recent weeks following two fatal shootings of protesters by immigration enforcement agents in Minneapolis. Noem justified the shootings by calling protesters’ actions “domestic terrorism,” a characterization that drew widespread backlash. Both shooting incidents are under investigation.
Trump’s announcement also follows a report from National Review’s Audrey Fahlberg that Trump was “furious” with Noem following her testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.
During the hearing, Noem said Trump had approved a $220 million ad campaign featuring her that encouraged illegal aliens to self-deport.
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., pressed Noem on the ads while she was under oath, asking: “The president approved ahead of time you spending $220 million running TV ads across the country in which you are featured prominently?”
“Yes,” Noem answered.
While Noem said Trump knew about the ads, the president later told Reuters he “never knew anything about it.”
One DHS official criticized Noem’s “tactics” as secretary as “loud and noisy,” referencing a video posted on social media last year in which Noem sported an AR-15 and a tactical vest while discussing arrests of illegal aliens.
However, the official also said that Noem “was a good spokesperson some of the time, and she was a Trump defender,” adding, “I think that the job that they gave her actually sounds really good for her.”
Trump previewed a Saturday announcement of the new security Initiative, where he is expected to provide more details about Noem’s role.
“The Western Hemisphere is absolutely critical for U.S. security,” Noem wrote on X Thursday. “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.”
Noem has had a “historic tenure” during her time as secretary, a source at DHS told The Daily Signal, adding that under her leadership, the agency has “gone on the offensive” to deliver the “most secure border ever, massive amounts of drug seizures, and stopping that from pouring into our country.”
More than 2 million illegal aliens self-deported during Noem’s tenure, according to the department, and about 670,000 illegal immigrants were removed from the United States.
Noem has done “such a tremendous job,” the DHS source said, noting that the “mission” of her new role is a continuation of her work and “represents the same ultimate goal: safer communities.”
