President Donald Trump Plans To Nominate Sen. Markwayne Mullin For DHS, Creating Oklahoma Senate Vacancy

President Donald Trump announced he is removing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and will nominate Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R‑Oklahoma) to replace her.

“The excerpt says the article reports that Kevin Mullin has previously made dismissive remarks about LGBTQ+ officials and expressed skepticism about gender‑affirming care”

Advocate

The administration says the change will take effect at the end of March but the nomination still requires Senate confirmation and could include an acting appointment while the nomination proceeds.

Advocate

Coverage across outlets notes the pick was posted on Trump’s Truth Social and framed as part of his border‑security agenda.

The White House said it will seek a swift confirmation process even as some senators signal contentious hearings ahead.

The nomination simultaneously creates an unexpected vacancy in Oklahoma’s Senate delegation, triggering state appointment and special‑election processes.

The administration is reassigning Kristi Noem to a newly created diplomatic-style post tied to a regional security plan dubbed the "Shield of the Americas."

The Shield of the Americas is described as a Western-Hemisphere initiative that Trump will unveil at a summit in Florida.

Al Jazeera

Multiple outlets say Noem will be named a special envoy to lead the program while Mullin is put forward to run DHS.

Reports describe the Shield as an administration effort aimed at joint action against cartels, migration, and narcotics trafficking, and say the role will be announced in concert with a Doral summit of partner countries.

Reporting across mainstream and regional outlets ties Noem’s reassignment to mounting bipartisan criticism and oversight over her tenure at DHS, including disputes over a roughly $220 million ad campaign, management and spending questions, and scrutiny after federal immigration operations that coincided with the deaths of two people in Minneapolis.

“I’m ready — but I don’t have the article yet”

Al Jazeera

Coverage says Noem faced bruising congressional hearings that prompted calls for accountability and were a proximate cause of the shake-up amid a partial DHS funding standoff.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s personal and political background is prominent in coverage.

Many outlets describe him as a close Trump ally.

AP News

He is an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation and had a past career as a small-business owner and rancher.

He is a former House member who joined the Senate in 2023.

Reporters say he has championed the administration’s hardline immigration priorities.

Reporters note Mullin will face Senate Homeland Security Committee scrutiny.

Some GOP senators have already signaled support while Democrats promise rigorous questioning.

He could serve as acting secretary under federal vacancy rules even as his formal confirmation process proceeds.

Mullin’s elevation would create an Oklahoma Senate vacancy under state law, and multiple outlets say Gov. Kevin Stitt would appoint a temporary replacement with a special election or other processes to follow, a development widely predicted to leave the seat in GOP hands given Oklahoma’s political makeup.

“Former South Dakota governor Kristi Noem, who has been serving as Secretary of Homeland Security, faced heavy criticism in Congress for DHS’s spending of billions, its handling of immigration enforcement (including a controversial Minneapolis crackdown that provoked protests and viral video), and the pace of FEMA and disaster responses”

AP News

Coverage notes broader political fallout, with Democrats and immigrant-rights groups saying personnel changes won’t fix systemic DHS problems, while Republicans hailed the move as a chance to reset leadership amid weeks of intense oversight.

BBC