Lies, Corruption & Scandal: Trump Ousts Kristi Noem, Nominates Sen. Markwayne Mullin to Head DHS
The report examines the controversies surrounding Noem’s tenure and her testimony at congressional hearings.

SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYDemocracy Now! is an established nonprofit news organization, and the report features named reporters from The Guardian and ProPublica discussing their reporting. The transcript identifies its presenters but provides limited information about editorial or correction procedures on this page.
- Source type — Established national nonprofit news outlet with a track record of public-affairs reporting.
- Author attribution — Named hosts and interview guests are identified, though no individual article author is listed.
- Source transparency — The reporters’ outlets and relevant prior investigations are identified.
- Editorial standards — The page does not explain its corrections process or editorial standards.
The transcript includes detailed, attributed accounts from two reporters whose outlets covered the subject, along with clips from congressional hearings. It includes a partial defense of Noem’s position, but no direct response from Noem, Trump or the DHS, and many claims are discussed in an interview rather than independently examined in the segment.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The segment includes multiple perspectives through the two reporters and gives some context that complicates the account of why Noem was fired. It does not include a direct response from the administration, and the headline adopts a critical frame.
- Source diversity — Two reporters from different outlets discuss the story, but there is no administration or independent official response.
- Counterarguments presented — Elliott offers a partial defense of Noem and questions whether the White House’s stated objection to the ads is persuasive.
- Loaded language — The headline uses “Lies, Corruption & Scandal,” a strongly critical characterization.
- Opinion vs reporting — The segment is presented as news and attributes interviewees’ claims, but its framing is not fully neutral.
The headline uses charged terms, and the segment foregrounds allegations and criticism of Noem and the Trump administration. The interview includes some qualifying context, including a reporter’s partial defense of Noem, but no administration response.
- Headline — The headline labels the story with “Lies, Corruption & Scandal,” signaling a strongly critical frame.
- Framing — The report centers allegations about Noem’s conduct and the administration’s immigration policies.
- Source selection — The guests are reporters whose work has scrutinized Noem; no administration representative is interviewed.
- Language tone — The hosts and headline use critical language, though much of the segment’s detailed claims are attributed to interviewees.
President Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and announced Senator Markwayne Mullin as her replacement. The report examines the controversies surrounding Noem’s tenure and Mullin’s immigration views and background.
The report says Trump fired Noem after scrutiny of her handling of immigration raids and a $220 million DHS advertising campaign. In congressional hearings, senators questioned her about the campaign and the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. ProPublica reporter Justin Elliott described questions about contract awards and the role of Corey Lewandowski, while also saying the White House’s claimed objection to the ads was “a little bit peculiar.”
Guardian reporter Chris Stein described Mullin as a supporter of Trump and a hard-liner on immigration. Stein said he did not know of business entanglements like those discussed in connection with Noem and Lewandowski. The program also included a clip of Mullin challenging Teamsters leader Sean O’Brien to fight at a 2023 Senate hearing.
Community verdict
28 VOTESPeople in this story
SWIPE →Homeland Security secretary fired by Trump
President who fired Noem and selected Mullin as her replacement
Trump's version of this story ↗Senator nominated to replace Kristi Noem as homeland security secretary
Mullin's version of this story ↗Senator who intervened during Mullin’s 2023 confrontation with Sean O’Brien
Senator who questioned Noem about the Minneapolis shootings
Former vice president mentioned in discussion of the 2024 election
Senator who questioned Noem about the DHS advertising contract
Representative who questioned Noem about her description of the shooting victims
Part of a bigger story
48 OUTLETSOutlets agree that Trump announced he would nominate Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace Kristi Noem as Homeland Security secretary. Left-leaning outlets emphasize scrutiny of Noem’s record and controversies at DHS, with some also focusing on Mullin’s record and immigration policy. Center outlets mostly report the personnel change descriptively, adding scrutiny of Noem’s management and testimony and, in some stories, her envoy role or policy implications. Right-leaning outlets often pair the appointment with the administration’s enforcement agenda, while some also link Noem’s exit to scrutiny or reported tension with Trump.
- ARTICLES
- 50
- OUTLETS
- 48
- AVG CRED
- 64
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