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Mullin says Trump nomination is 'pretty humbling'
Speaking to reporters today, senator Markwayne Mullin said that he was “pretty humbling” to be tapped as homeland security secretary.
“A little kid from Westville, Oklahoma gets to serve in the president’s cabinet – that’s pretty neat,” he added, while noting that Donald Trump called him with the news just before he posted about Noem’s ouster on Truth Social.
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Schumer says 'good riddance' to Noem, but notes 'deep rot' at DHS
Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, Chuck Schumer was pleased by the news of Kristi Noem’s removal. “Good riddance,” the top Senate Democrat said, while noting there is a “deep rot” within her department.
He refused to comment on his opinion of Mullin as a replacement, or whether he would vote to confirm the Republican senator as homeland security secretary.
“This is not an issue of personnel, it’s an issue of policy,” Schumer added. “I don’t trust any one person being in charge of this agency, as long as Trump is president, given the policies he’s espoused.”
Here's a recap of the day so far
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Kristi Noem, the embattled Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary, has been removed from her position by Donald Trump. In a post on Truth Social, the president said that Noem had “served us well, and has had numerous and spectacular results”, before noting that she would become the special envoy for a new security initiative.
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Trump announced that he was nominating Republican senator Markwayne Mullin to replace Noem. The president called the Oklahoma lawmaker a “Maga warrior”, while Mullin said the nomination was “pretty humbling”.
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Despite Trump announcing he would replace Kristi Noem as homeland security secretary, the Senate rejected a funding bill to reopen her department. By of vote of 51-45, all Democrats bar one blocked the legislation for a third time. They continue to demand stronger guardrails against federal immigration enforcement.
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The president said he must “be involved in the appointment” of Iran’s next leader as he was in Venezuela, and dismissed the idea of the assassinated ayatollah’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, succeeding his father. In an interview with Axios, Trump said: “Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran.”
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The House is also preparing to vote on Thursday on a war powers resolution that would require Trump to seek congressional permission before continuing the war with Iran. It’s the second vote in as many days, after the Senate defeated a similar measure largely along party lines on Wednesday.
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House Republican leadership has called for Tony Gonzales to end his re-election campaign. This comes after the House ethics committee launched an investigation into the representative’s conduct, following reports that he had an extramartial affair with an aide who later died by suicide. On Wednesday, Gonzales admitted to the relationship with the his late staffer, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, calling it “a lapse in judgment”.
Senate blocks DHS funding bill amid ongoing shutdown
Despite Donald Trump announcing he would replace Kristi Noem as homeland security secretary, the Senate rejected a funding bill to reopen her department.
By of vote of 51-45, all Democrats bar one blocked the legislation for a third time. They continue to demand stronger guardrails against federal immigration enforcement.
Lawmakers in the House will also vote to pass a funding bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) later this afternoon.
Noem acknowledges removal while touting success in year as DHS secretary
Kristi Noem thanked Donald Trump for her new role as special envoy for the “Shield of the Americas” while acknowledging her ouster as Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary. In a post on X, Noem said she looks forward to working with secretary of state Marco Rubio and defense secretary Pete Hegseth to “dismantle cartels” as part of the president’s initiative that he’ll announce on Saturday.
“I will be able to build on the partnerships and national security expertise, I forged over the last 13 months as Secretary of Homeland Security,” she wrote, while touting “historic accomplishments” during her tenure.
Noem is the first cabinet official of Trump’s second administration to be ousted from their role.
Mullin says Trump nomination is 'pretty humbling'
Speaking to reporters today, senator Markwayne Mullin said that he was “pretty humbling” to be tapped as homeland security secretary.
“A little kid from Westville, Oklahoma gets to serve in the president’s cabinet – that’s pretty neat,” he added, while noting that Donald Trump called him with the news just before he posted about Noem’s ouster on Truth Social.
Noem just referenced the new “security initiative” to combat cartels that Donald Trump announced she would working on. However, she didn’t discuss her role, and made no reference that she has been removed from her post as homeland security secretary.
Kristi Noem is currently speaking in Nashville, at a conference with several police chiefs from across the country.
She’s yet to address her removal as homeland security secretary, and she hasn’t received any questions about her ouster.
Mullin wins one Democrat's support
Senator John Fetterman, a Democrat who represents Pennsylvania, who also sits on the Senate homeland security committee said that he intends to vote for Mullin as DHS secretary.
Fetterman said that he’s “not sure how many fellow Democrats” would do the same “but I am AYE”.
One quick, important, note. While Donald Trump said that Markwayne Mullin would take over from Noem starting on 31 March, the Oklahoma senator still needs to be confirmed by the Senate.
The president can’t simply appoint a replacement for a cabinet position.
Democrats welcome news of Noem's removal as DHS secretary
Congressional Democrats have started to react to Donald Trump’s announcement that he’s ousting Kristi Noem as his homeland security secretary.
Robert Garcia, the ranking member on the House oversight committee, responded quickly on social media: “Well now we don’t have to impeach her.”
This comes after months of repudiation from Democrats about Noem’s leadership of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), particularly the tactics of federal immigration officers during crackdowns across the country.
Senator Cory Booker, who lambasted Noem during a judiciary committee hearing this week and repeated calls for her resignation, said that he was “glad” to see that Noem is being replaced. “There is a long road ahead to reel in this out-of-control agency,” the New Jersey lawmaker said.
Meanwhile, the House’s top Democrat, Hakeem Jeffries, welcomed the news of Noem’s removal. “Keep the pressure on these extremists,” the minority leader said, while also calling for the ouster of attorney general Pam Bondi.
