This afternoon, U.S. President Donald Trump revealed that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem will resign at the end of the month after more than a year in her position. He has appointed Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to succeed her.
“I am pleased to announce that the Highly Respected United States Senator from the Great State of Oklahoma, Markwayne Mullin, will become the United States Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), effective March 31, 2026,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Trump stated that Noem, who he described as someone who “has served us well,” will assume a new position titled “Envoy for The Shield of the Americas.”
Kristi Noem is a Republican politician who most recently served as the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security from January 2025 until her replacement was announced on March 5, 2026. Previously, she was the first female Governor of South Dakota (2019–2025) and represented the state in the U.S. House of Representatives (2011–2019).
Political Career & Background
Kristi Noem’s Impact on Homeland Security
- Governor of South Dakota (2019–2025): Gained national prominence for refusing to issue mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was re-elected in 2022 with the largest vote total in state history.
- U.S. House of Representatives (2011–2019): Served four terms as South Dakota’s sole representative.
- Early Life & Education: Born in 1971 in Watertown, SD, she grew up on a family ranch. She left college in 1994 to manage the family farm after her father died in an accident, later finishing her degree in political science at South Dakota State University in 2011.
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