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Trump fires Kristi Noem as Homeland Security secretary

Noem's firing followed scrutiny of a department advertising campaign and criticism of her immigration enforcement leadership.

Trump fires Kristi Noem as Homeland Security secretary
Image · Yahoo News

SOURCE CHECK

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Host credibilityYahoo News75/100 HIGH
This article1 analysis · Oct 9, 2026

Credibility rates Yahoo News, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.

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Republished from USA Today, with credit to the original publisher.

USA Today80/100 HIGH

19 stories · 79–81 · updated Oct 9, 2026

This is USA Today's own score, and this article is credited to USA Today. The host score in the Source Check is Yahoo News's.

Yahoo Newsvia USA Today
Mar 5, 2026
tl;dr

President Donald Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and announced Sen. Markwayne Mullin as his choice to replace her. The change came after scrutiny of a $220 million department advertising campaign and amid a partial shutdown tied to disputes over immigration enforcement.

Community verdict

VOTING CLOSED
How does this story look for
Kristi Noem Former U.S. Representative (R-SD)
NOT RATEDCLOSED

No good or bad look here

This story reports what happened without casting Noem in a good or bad light, so readers don’t rate it and it doesn’t count toward Noem’s record.

● INFORMATIONAL

People in this story

SWIPE →
Kristi Noem
Former U.S. Representative (R-SD)

Former Homeland Security secretary who was fired and appointed special envoy

PRIMARY SUBJECT
Markwayne Mullin
Secretary of Homeland Security

Senator chosen by Trump to be the next Homeland Security secretary

Mullin's version of this story ↗
Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President who fired Noem and nominated Mullin to replace her

Trump's version of this story ↗
Christopher Murphy
D · CT · SEN

Senator who said he needed time to consider Mullin's confirmation

Lindsey Graham
Former U.S. Senator (R-SC)

Senator who supported Noem's reassignment and praised Mullin's selection

Pete Hegseth
R · Secretary of Defense

Defense secretary who praised Noem and welcomed Mullin

John Fetterman
D · PA · SEN

Senator who said he would vote to confirm Mullin

Timothy J. Walz
Former U.S. Representative (D-MN)

Minnesota governor who welcomed Noem's removal but called for a broader department overhaul

House minority leader who welcomed Noem's removal

Thom Tillis
R · NC · SEN

Senator who praised Mullin and had called for Noem's resignation

Chuck Schumer
D · NY · SEN

Senate minority leader who opposed Mullin's confirmation and criticized Noem's removal as insufficient

John Kennedy
R · LA · SEN

Senator who questioned Noem about the advertising campaign

White House press secretary who announced the administration's plans for Mullin's confirmation and described the regional summit

Gary C. Peters
D · MI · SEN

Senator and top Democrat on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

Marco Rubio
Secretary of State

Secretary of State named by Noem as a colleague in her new envoy role

John Cornyn
R · TX · SEN

Senator who declined to characterize Trump's decision to fire Noem

Richard Blumenthal
D · CT · SEN

Senator who said Noem's removal might help Democrats support ending the shutdown if reforms were made

Rand Paul
R · KY · SEN

Senator expected to lead Mullin's confirmation hearing as committee chairman

ALSO MENTIONED  Gavin Newsom, California governor who criticized Trump after Noem's firing; JB Pritzker, Illinois governor who criticized Noem after her departure; Kevin Stitt, Oklahoma governor who would appoint a temporary replacement for Mullin's Senate seat; Stephen Miller, Trump administration official criticized by Newsom

Part of a bigger story

27 OUTLETS
Trump Announces Noem's Departure, Picks Mullin for Homeland Security

Outlets on the left, center and right report that President Donald Trump removed Kristi Noem as Homeland Security secretary and selected Sen. Markwayne Mullin as her intended successor. Left-leaning outlets emphasize criticism of Noem’s tenure and, in one account, argue her reassignment falls short of accountability. Center outlets pair the personnel change with scrutiny of spending, immigration enforcement and management, mostly in reportorial terms. Right-leaning outlets also link the firing to enforcement and spending scrutiny, while one article focuses on speculation about Noem’s possible Senate primary challenge.

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