‘Firing her is not enough’: Democrats applaud Kristi Noem’s firing, put the red circle on who is next

President Trump has dramatically shaken up his Cabinet, announcing on Thursday that he’s replacing Kristi Noem as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary. Taking her place will be Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), but Noem isn’t completely out of the picture. According to The Hill, she’s moving into a brand-new role as a special envoy for “The Shield of Americas,” a fresh initiative focused on the Western Hemisphere.

The news hit hard and fast, sparking some really strong reactions. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries responded to the news immediately, posting on X, “Kristi Noem is gone. Pam Bondi is next. Keep the pressure on these extremists.” 

California Governor Gavin Newsom also weighed in, saying Noem “will go down as the most shamelessly incompetent and cruel Homeland Security Secretary in U.S. history.” He added that “Firing her is not enough. NOEM, GREG BOVINO, and STEPHEN MILLER all must be held accountable for terrorizing and endangering the American people.” 

Noem has been very polarizing over the past few months

Trump announced the news on Truth Social, stating, “I am pleased to announce that the Highly Respected United States Senator from the Great State of Oklahoma, Markwayne Mullin, will become the United States Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), effective March 31, 2026.” 

Noem herself seems pretty excited about her new gig, posting on X, “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.”

This move marks the first Cabinet departure in Trump’s second term. Senator Mullin seems genuinely thrilled, telling reporters, “I am super excited about this. It came as a not a complete surprise, but it came as a little bit of a surprise.” Mullin also emphasized, “There’s a lot of work we can do to get the Department of Homeland Security working for the American people.” 

Noem’s departure comes after months of speculation, with scrutiny really ramping up following her recent appearances before Congress. She faced some serious pushback from even her own Republican colleagues, with reports stating that Trump was asking for opinions about firing her. 

Questions arose about a massive $220 million ad campaign that prominently featured her, and assertions from the DHS inspector general that she was actually hindering investigations. There were questions about the significant delays in distributing funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) after natural disasters. Congress was also very unhappy with how she dealt with the fatal shootings of Pretti and Good by ICE agents.