Donald Trump fired Kristi Noem as US Homeland Security Secretary on Thursday in Washington, abruptly removing one of the most visible faces of his immigration crackdown and naming Oklahoma senator Markwayne Mullin as his choice to replace her, according to a statement on his Truth Social platform.
The news came after two punishing days for Kristi Noem on Capitol Hill. The now-former secretary was hauled before Congress for hearings that mixed lethal policy failures with lurid personal questions. Lawmakers grilled her over the fatal shootings of two protesters in Minnesota during a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) operation, a controversial $200m advertising blitz that put her centre stage, and, in a jarring turn, rumours about an alleged affair with Trump loyalist Corey Lewandowski.
