President Trump has fired Kristi Noem from her position as Secretary of Homeland Security. Trump has nominated Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to replace Noem.

Noem’s early retirement is long overdue. Over the course of her tenure, the former South Dakota governor became an increasingly clownish figure occupying an important, if highly bureaucratic, office. Her relentless self-promotion was widely derided and even became a running joke on the television show South Park.

While rumors that she might be fired had been circulating in Washington for weeks, Noem’s disastrous appearances on Capitol Hill this week appear to have sealed her fate. During those hearings, she faced sustained criticism from both Democrats and Republicans over her vast spending — more than $200 million — on self-promotional advertising campaigns, as well as the funneling of government funds to companies run by her own staff.

As reported by Susan Crabtree, who has excellent DHS sources, Noem was also blocking an inspector general’s investigation into her department. The evidence suggests that Noem was attempting to unduly shield the Secret Service from scrutiny over the failed July 2024 assassination attempt on then-candidate Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Noem also drew criticism for labeling Renée Good and Alex Pretti as “domestic terrorists.” The two Americans were killed in controversial encounters with DHS immigration enforcement officers in Minneapolis. Noem has repeatedly mischaracterized incidents involving DHS personnel, even when widely circulated video footage appeared to contradict the official account. In the aftermath of Pretti’s death, the Trump administration removed senior officials overseeing immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota amid mounting scrutiny.

Still, Mullin’s appointment also suggests Trump’s growing concern that he needs a more PR-friendly and reliable leader at the top of DHS. There may also be a deeper concern here that if Iranian-linked terrorists are able to successfully carry out an attack on US soil, Noem will be a lightning rod for criticism of the administration. Trump is keenly aware of the negative impact any major controversy or scandal would have on Republican prospects in the upcoming November midterm congressional elections.

DHS should now refocus on improving training standards, including legal training, for its law enforcement officers. Too many innocent Americans have been caught up by officers who lack the temperament or knowledge of the law to uphold constitutional rights. Mullin would also do well to take a scythe to DHS’s bloated bureaucracy. The department could be made far more efficient by cutting endemic duplication across its various subordinate agencies. But Trump should also recognize that a loyal and otherwise friendly face doesn’t constitute sufficient grounds for a cabinet-level appointment.

Trump is allowing Noem to save face by appointing her as a special envoy. It underscores her loyalty and, perhaps, Trump’s need to bolster his narrative of largely ending illegal crossings and rounding up undocumented immigrants.

The title may change, but the verdict should not: Noem should have been fired long ago.

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Tom Rogan is a national security writer at the Washington Examiner

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