Noem, who will be replaced by Markwayne Mullin, will move to a less visible role in the administration
Credit: Kevin Dietsch/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Kristi Noem shared a statement on her final day as the homeland security secretary on X on Tuesday, March 24
- Noem thanked Trump for “entrusting” her “to lead the department leading the fight to Make America Safe Again”
- Noem will now serve as the Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas
Kristi Noem shared a parting message on her last day as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
"It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as the 8th Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security," Noem, 54, who was fired by President Donald Trump, began the post on X on Tuesday, March 24. "I want to thank President Trump for entrusting me to lead the department leading the fight to Make America Safe Again."
Noem went on to make a series of claims regarding her accomplishments as DHS secretary.
"In one year, the patriots at DHS delivered the MOST secure border in American history, 3 million illegal aliens have left the U.S., located 145,000 unaccompanied children, delivered disaster relief at a 100% faster rate, ushered in the golden age of travel, saved the American taxpayer $13 billion, and revitalized the U.S. Coast Guard," Noem continued.
Noem's departure comes amid controversy surrounding her time at the agency, culminating in a series of combative congressional hearings in which she was questioned about the agency's aggressive immigration enforcement actions.
Earlier this month, Noem also sparked controversy after a report from The Wall Street Journal alleged that a U.S. Coast Guard pilot was fired after Noem's blanket was left on a plane, which she denied. The report further examined Noem's alleged relationship with adviser Corey Lewandowski, with whom she is rumored to be having an affair, which she has also vehemently denied, and the "constant chaos inside DHS."
The plane's pilot was allegedly fired by Lewandowski and told to take a commercial flight home once the team reached their destination. However, he ended up being reinstated after the group realized no one else was available to fly them back, WSJ reported at the time.
Former DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin denied the outlet's allegations against Noem and Lewandowski in a statement to PEOPLE, saying, “This is categorically false.”
Months earlier, in October 2025, reports emerged that the DHS planned to purchase two Gulfstream private jets for $172 million, The New York Times reported at the time.
The two jets were reportedly intended for use by Noem, top DHS officials, and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) officials, per the Times. The move came months after the Coast Guard requested a $50 million budget increase, reportedly in an effort to replace Noem's aging jet with a new long-range Gulfstream V jet.
"As Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas, I will build on the years of national security expertise I forged during my time as Secretary of Homeland Security, Governor of South Dakota, and Congresswoman on the House Armed Services Committee," Noem concluded in her statement on Tuesday about her new position.
Credit: Ash Ponders/Bloomberg via Getty
Markwayne Mullin, former Republican senator of Oklahoma, was sworn in as the new DHS secretary on Tuesday.
“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,” Trump, 79, wrote on Truth Social on March 5.
Credit: Anna Moneymaker/Getty
“The current secretary, Kristi Noem, who has served us well, and has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!), will be moving to be the Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, our new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere we are announcing on Saturday in Doral, Florida,” he wrote. “I thank Kristi for her service at ‘Homeland.’”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Reports emerged leading up to the announcement that Trump was “not happy” with Noem after the secretary’s behavior on Capitol Hill, with WSJ alleging that the president was preparing to fire her.
Read the full article here
