Trump Says Noem’s Exit Was About Elevating Mullin Not Performance

By Blessing Nweke

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that the removal of Kristi Noem as Homeland Security secretary was less about dissatisfaction with her performance and more about appointing Markwayne Mullin to the Cabinet post.

In his first public comments since dismissing Noem, Trump offered praise for her tenure at the Department of Homeland Security while also highlighting Mullin, a Republican senator from Oklahoma, as a strong choice for the role.

“She’s a fine person. She did a good job. I’m a big fan of the senator from Oklahoma. It wasn’t a hard choice,” Trump said during a phone call with NBC News.

Trump rejected suggestions that a single incident triggered Noem’s dismissal, instead commending her handling of immigration and border security during her time in office.

However, he acknowledged concerns about a recent exchange Noem had with lawmakers during congressional testimony. The hearing focused on her role in approving contracts, including a $220 million advertising campaign urging undocumented immigrants to voluntarily leave the United States.

“I wasn’t thrilled with it. I spent less money than that to become president. I didn’t know about it,” Trump said.

During the hearing, Noem faced questioning from John Kennedy, a Republican senator from Louisiana, about the costly campaign and the contracting process, which critics said limited competitive bidding. Noem told lawmakers that Trump had been aware of her decision to approve the ad campaign.

The testimony came amid broader scrutiny of the department after federal officers shot and killed two U.S. citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Good, during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis.

Lawmakers also pressed Noem about her refusal to retract statements describing the victims as “domestic terrorists,” as well as concerns over mistaken detentions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Despite her removal, Noem will remain in the administration as “Envoy for the Shield of the Americas,” leading a new Western Hemisphere security initiative.