HomeAUTrump Dismisses Homeland Security Chief Amid Controversy

Trump Dismisses Homeland Security Chief Amid Controversy

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US President Donald Trump said embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and will be replaced with Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin.
Trump made the announcement on social media on Thursday (Friday AEST), two days after Noem faced a grilling on Capitol Hill from Republicans and Democrats.

Former President Donald Trump has appointed Kristi Noem as a “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas,” a newly established security initiative aimed at enhancing safety across the Western Hemisphere.

Kristi Noem is the first member of Trump’s second cabinet to depart their position. (AP)

Noem, who has been at the forefront of Trump’s stringent immigration policies, has encountered significant backlash, particularly following the tragic shooting of two protesters by immigration enforcement officers in Minneapolis.

As the former governor of South Dakota, Noem has also been under scrutiny for her management of the substantial funds allocated to her department by Congress, raising questions about fiscal responsibility.

Her leadership style, especially in implementing the Republican administration’s firm stance on immigration, drew criticism after the Minneapolis incident and her approach to disaster management, which contributed to her waning support.

She faced blistering criticism from Democrats, and some Republicans, in Congress hearings this week over those issues and others.

Beyond the topic of immigration, Noem faced additional challenges, including bipartisan disapproval regarding the sluggish distribution of emergency aid via the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as well as the broader Trump administration’s handling of disaster responses.

Mullin would need to be confirmed by the Senate, but under a federal law governing executive branch vacancies, he would be allowed to serve as an acting Homeland Security secretary as long as his nomination is formally pending.

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