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By Kate Plummer
Senior US News Reporter
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Kristi Noem has been removed from her role as Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary, the first Cabinet secretary to depart during President Donald Trump's second term.
The president made the announcement on Truth Social on Thursday following two days of Noem testifying before the Senate and House Judiciary Committees. Trump said he would nominate Republican Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin to replace her at DHS, pending Senate confirmation.
Noem, who Trump said would now serve as special envoy to the newly created "Shield of the Americas" initiative focused on border security, faced repeated scrutiny over her policy decisions, spending, and management of the department. Newsweek has rounded up five of the biggest controversies from her tenure at DHS.
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Newsweek reached out to DHS by email to comment on this story outside of normal business hours.
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Response to Minnesota Shootings
Noem faced pressure over DHS's handling of the deaths of two U.S. citizens at the hands of federal immigration agents.
Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse, was shot dead by a federal immigration agent in Minneapolis in January during a federal immigration enforcement operation. His killing was the second fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis that month, following the January 7 death of Renee Good, who was killed by an ICE agent during another enforcement action.
Noem initially linked Pretti to domestic terrorism, sparking a backlash from critics who disputed this account. She refused to retract her statements during her testimony to Congress this week.
Deportation Flights
The Department of Justice said in November that Noem was responsible for continuing deportation flights of Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador in March, despite a federal judge ruling that the flights must be returned to the U.S.
The Trump administration denied wrongdoing and said many of the deportees were linked to a Venezuelan gang, but a judge questioned the administration’s authority to carry out the flights.
$220M Border Security Advertising Campaign
Noem told lawmakers this week she had sought the president's approval for a $220 million DHS ad campaign; Trump told Reuters on Thursday he had not approved it.
Noem faced questions from Democrats and Republicans over the contracting process behind the campaign, including how the funds were awarded and the involvement of Republican-connected firms.
The campaign drew scrutiny after ProPublica reported that Strategy Group, a firm tied to Noem’s political network and run by the husband of DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, received work connected to the effort.
Noem said the contract was awarded through "a competitive process" and that no political appointees were involved.
Luxury Spending
DHS came under fire for spending more than $300 million on three private luxury jets, including two Gulfstream G700s purchased in October and a Boeing 737, nicknamed the "Big Beautiful Jet," according to Axios.
Noem also drew criticism for wearing a Rolex watch during a visit to Cecot prison in El Salvador.
Lewandowski Scrutiny
During a congressional hearing this week, Noem was asked if she had had "sexual relations" with her aide Corey Lewandowski. She dismissed the reports as "tabloid garbage." Both have denied the rumors.
The questions came after a recent Wall Street Journal investigation cited unnamed officials saying Trump and some advisers were "uncomfortable" with Noem and Lewandowski’s proximity. Trump said he had not heard the rumors about their alleged relationship.
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