Trump fires Kristi Noem. And, DOJ releases some missing Epstein files
Trump announced Noem’s firing and selected Mullin to replace her.

SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCredibility rates NCPR, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.
NCPR is a public-radio news organization, and this report identifies NPR as the source and credits named reporters and editors. The underlying reporting includes attributed accounts and poll results, while explicitly noting when NPR had not independently confirmed a claim.
- Source type — Established local public-radio outlet carrying NPR reporting.
- Author attribution — Named NPR reporters and program staff are credited.
- Editorial standards — The report attributes claims and distinguishes unconfirmed reporting from independently verified facts.
- Transparency — The program and reporting organization are identified.
The report draws on a named correspondent, congressional hearings, attributed statements, and polling, and it flags a claim it could not independently confirm. The account includes scrutiny of Noem but limited direct response from her on the central criticisms.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The account reports bipartisan questions and includes Noem’s recorded statement, but gives limited direct response from her to the criticisms and no detailed explanation from the administration for the firing.
- Counterarguments presented — Noem’s recorded account and the president’s announcement appear, but responses to the specific criticisms are limited.
- Source diversity — A correspondent describes hearings and scrutiny involving both parties, alongside polling and recorded statements.
- Omitted context — The reasons behind Trump’s decision to fire Noem are not established in the report.
The report uses a largely factual, attributed style and includes criticism from both parties without adopting an explicit partisan position.
- Language tone — Mostly neutral narration with claims attributed to speakers or reporting.
- Source selection — Includes a correspondent’s account, lawmakers’ scrutiny, Noem’s recorded remarks, and polling.
- Framing — Presents the firing and surrounding criticism as developments to explain, not as an editorial verdict.
Republished with credit
Republished from NPR, with credit to the original publisher.
94 stories · 89–90 · updated Oct 9, 2026
This is NPR's own score, and this article is credited to NPR. The host score in the Source Check is NCPR's.
President Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and chose Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace her, subject to Senate confirmation. The report also covers expanding fighting involving Iran, Israel and Lebanon, and U.S.-Venezuela ties.
Trump announced that Noem would leave the Homeland Security post and that Mullin, an Oklahoma senator, was his choice to replace her. NPR’s Ximena Bustillo reported that lawmakers from both parties had questioned Noem’s leadership and agency spending at hearings. She also described scrutiny of an immigration-ad campaign contract and the bipartisan criticism Noem faced after calling Alex Pretti a domestic terrorist. Mullin said he was excited about the opportunity; he would need Senate confirmation before taking the post. The report also noted that the agency was in its third week without funding and cited a poll finding that nearly two-thirds of Americans thought immigration enforcement had gone too far.
Community verdict
27 VOTESPeople in this story
SWIPE →President who fired Noem and chose Mullin as her replacement
Interior secretary visiting Venezuela for talks involving business and critical minerals
Burgum's version of this story ↗Senator chosen by Trump to be Homeland Security secretary
Mullin's version of this story ↗Homeland Security secretary fired by Trump
Noem's version of this story ↗Louisiana senator who questioned Noem about an immigration-ad contract
Part of a bigger story
32 OUTLETSOutlets agree that Trump announced Senator Markwayne Mullin as his choice to replace Kristi Noem as Homeland Security secretary. Left-leaning outlets foreground controversies around Noem’s tenure and immigration enforcement. Center outlets mainly report the personnel change, its context and the confirmation process. Right-leaning outlets emphasize support for Mullin and his border-security or immigration-enforcement priorities.
- ARTICLES
- 34
- OUTLETS
- 32
- AVG CRED
- 66
- Breitbart · Pro-American Groups Welcome Trump's DHS Pick Markwayne Mullin
- Democracy Now! · Trump Fires Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary, Names Sen. Markwayne Mullin as Replacement
- Ticklethewire · Trump Replaces Kristi Noem as Homeland Security chief, Taps Sen. Markwayne Mullin – Tickle The Wire
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