DHS staff celebrate as Kristi Noem’s more than 10 ‘glamour shots’ removed from headquarters: Report

WASHINGTON, DC: Department of Homeland Security employees are reportedly celebrating the removal of numerous "glamour shots" of former chief Kristi Noem from agency headquarters following her recent dismissal. 

After facing months of intense controversy and two intense congressional hearings, President Trump removed Noem from the position on March 5 and reassigned her as a special envoy to ‘The Shield of the Americas.’

DHS staff celebrate removal of Kristi Noem's portraits

According to reports from The Washington Examiner, the atmosphere at the Customs and Border Protection office changed quickly as upwards of ten framed portraits of Noem were taken down. 

These photos were installed last January when Noem’s staff replaced pictures of regular federal agents with images of the former South Dakota governor. 

The display became a source of mockery among the staff, with one unnamed official stating, “Every single picture had a picture of Noem, and it was such a turn off.” 

The official added, “People were snickering about it, like, ‘Did you see the upgrade?’ No leader that I know would have allowed that to happen. If they walked in and saw their photo in every picture, they would say, ‘What were you thinking?"

Details of the office redecoration

One image showed Noem standing between Border Patrol agents “with a hand on each of their shoulders,” while another showed her flying an airplane. 

A third photo depicted her driving an ATV in a bulletproof vest and a pearl necklace. 

The report also noted that “In another picture, the four federal employees sitting next to Noem are out of focus, while Noem is perfectly in focus, sporting an ICE ball cap with the agency’s new logo.” 

Some believe the gallery was organized by Corey Lewandowski, who left DHS with Noem, while another official suggested Noem may have been “so insulated” that she didn't realize the resentment she was causing. 

Markwayne Mullin to lead DHS

With Noem gone, DHS employees are hoping that Markwayne Mullin can fix the agency's reputation. 

Her time in office was marked by a $200 million ad campaign and, among everything else, a controversial immigration crackdown in Minnesota.

Many in the agency are relieved to see a change in leadership. One senior official said that Mullin “has the opportunity to be like a prince or knight in shining armor as he comes riding over the hill and saves everybody from this freaking chaos.” 

For those remaining at the department, the goal is simple: “All he has to do, literally, is put things back in a normal order.”