On March 5, President Donald Trump announced that he was removing Kristi Noem from her role as Homeland Security Secretary and replacing her with Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, effective March 31, 2026.
In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote that Noem “has served us well and had numerous and spectacular results (especially at the border!)” and that she will now become “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas,” a position associated with the new Western Hemisphere security initiative.
He is the first cabinet secretary to be removed during Trump’s second term, though Trump has positioned Noem to lead this new regional strategy rather than leave the administration entirely.
What is “The Shield of the Americas”?
“The Shield of the Americas” is a new U.S. security initiative focused on the Western Hemisphere that President Trump plans to formally announce this weekend at a summit in Doral, Florida, with leaders from more than a dozen Latin American countries.
The initiative, which Trump described in his announcement as aimed at strengthening regional security and defense cooperation, is part of a broader push by the administration to expand US diplomatic and strategic efforts in North, Central and South America.
Trump tied the initiative to issues such as fighting organized crime, strengthening border security, coordinating migration challenges and confronting shared threats in the hemisphere.
The summit this Saturday will bring together heads of state and government officials from nations including Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama and others to discuss these topics.
Speaking in Nashville ahead of the summit, Noem confirmed her attendance and suggested Trump would unveil a “grand deal” at the meeting outlining “how we’re going to go after the cartels and the drug trade in the entire Western Hemisphere.” Her comments highlight that the new role is to focus on transnational cooperation against transnational crime and insecurity.
Noah’s reaction to her expulsion
Following Trump’s announcement, Noah took to X (formerly Twitter) to thank the president for her new assignment, writing:
“Thank you @POTUS Trump for appointing me Special Envoy for the Shield of America.”
She added that she looks forward to working with administration officials to “break up the cartels that have been pouring drugs into our nation and killing our children and grandchildren.”
Noem also touted the accomplishments of her time at DHS, saying the department “delivered the MOST secure border in American history” and that the Federal Emergency Management Agency “delivered disaster relief 100% faster.”
