U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), tapped by U.S. President Donald Trump to replace U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, departs after a vote in the U.S. Senate on funding for DHS, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 5, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
(Washington, DC) – With Kristi Noem now fired as head of the United States Department of Homeland Security, attention in Washington has quickly turned to what happens next for one of the federal government’s largest and most powerful agencies.
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Noem would be removed from the post following a week of tense congressional hearings and mounting controversy surrounding a $220 million border security advertising contract that lawmakers aggressively questioned.
Immediate leadership at DHS
In the short term, the department is expected to fall under the leadership of Troy Edgar, the agency’s deputy secretary and next official in the line of succession. Edgar, a Navy veteran and former mayor of Los Alamitos, California, would likely serve as acting secretary while the White House moves forward with a permanent replacement.
DHS oversees a vast network of agencies and operations including border security, immigration enforcement, cybersecurity, disaster response through FEMA, and the U.S. Coast Guard. Because of the department’s size and national security responsibilities, leadership transitions are closely watched in Washington.
Trump’s expected nominee
Trump has already signaled who he wants to lead the department next — Markwayne Mullin.
The Oklahoma Republican is widely viewed as the administration’s top candidate to replace Noem and was identified by the president as his choice shortly after announcing her dismissal. Mullin is considered a close ally of Trump and has been a vocal supporter of the administration’s immigration enforcement agenda.
If formally nominated, Mullin would need to go through the Senate confirmation process before taking over the role.
Senate confirmation ahead
That confirmation process could become the next major political fight in Washington.
The Senate would hold hearings where Mullin would be questioned by lawmakers about immigration policy, border security, cybersecurity threats, and disaster preparedness — all key responsibilities of DHS. Senators would then vote on whether to confirm him to the position.
Until that process is completed, DHS leadership will likely remain under an acting secretary.
A pivotal moment for the agency
The leadership shakeup comes at a crucial time for the department as the administration continues to emphasize immigration enforcement and border security policies that have been central to Trump’s second-term agenda.
With Noem’s departure marking the first cabinet-level firing of Trump’s second term, the coming weeks will determine who ultimately takes the reins of the Department of Homeland Security — and how the agency moves forward during a period of heightened political scrutiny.
