Democrats Cheer Kristi Noem’s Dismissal as Calls for Broader Changes Emerge
Democrats reveled in the news of Kristi Noem’s firing as the Homeland Security Secretary on Thursday, simultaneously urging for a wider purge of President Donald Trump’s more contentious aides and advisers.
“Kristi Noem will go down as the most shamelessly incompetent and cruel Homeland Security Secretary in U.S. history,” proclaimed California Governor Gavin Newsom on X. “Her dismissal is merely the beginning. NOEM, GREG BOVINO, and STEPHEN MILLER must face accountability for their actions that have terrorized and endangered the American populace.”
Other potential contenders for the 2028 presidential race quickly joined the chorus of approval, seizing the moment to advocate for further staffing changes at the highest echelons of the Trump administration.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker also issued a warning via social media, insisting that Noem would still “be held accountable.”
“Hey, Kristi Noem, don’t let the door hit you on the way out,” he remarked. “Your legacy is defined by corruption and chaos—parents and children were teargassed, and innocent citizens were shot in the face. Your departure doesn’t grant you immunity from accountability.”
Noem’s exit—Trump announced on Thursday on Truth Social that she would assume the role of inaugural “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas”—marks the conclusion of a tumultuous year at the agency. Trump also indicated plans to appoint Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) as her successor.
Noem stands as the most senior official to exit the administration thus far in Trump’s second term.
However, Democrats wasted no time expressing their dissatisfaction with her removal, promptly calling for Trump to dismiss further Cabinet officials. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Representative Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) urged Trump to fire the beleaguered Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Senator Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) chimed in, stating that Trump should also consider letting go of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Maryland Governor Wes Moore celebrated Noem’s ousting as well.
Noem faced bipartisan criticism for her alleged ties to Trump ally Corey Lewandowski, a claim she has denied, and for branding two Minnesota protesters killed by federal law enforcement in January as “domestic terrorists.”
The former South Dakota governor also confronted scrutiny over a $220 million DHS advertising campaign and testified during a congressional hearing that Trump had approved the expenditure—a claim he later refuted in an interview with Reuters.
“Time and again, Secretary Noem failed the American people and her constitutional obligations,” Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) stated on X. “This was especially evident in her oversight of ICE. Her departure illustrates that if you disregard fundamental American values, the public will demand your removal.”
Numerous Democratic lawmakers indicated that Noem’s exit does not alter their demands for funding increases for DHS and reforms at Immigration and Customs Enforcement amid an ongoing partial government shutdown.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer articulated on Thursday that ICE’s issues run deeper than a single personnel change.
“The problems at ICE transcend any one individual… it’s a systemic issue,” he stated. “Addressing the agency’s challenges requires comprehensive reform; the rot is extensive.”
On the other hand, Republicans rallied behind Mullin, who expressed his enthusiasm for the role on Thursday, suggesting a smooth confirmation process ahead. Some GOP lawmakers acknowledged that a leadership shakeup at DHS was well overdue.
“It was time for a change,” Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) noted in a social media post, while Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) remarked that the decision was “beneficial for the president and his legacy regarding border security and deportation.”
Cheyanne M. Daniels contributed to this report.
