Markwayne Mullin Says He’ll Be “Laser-Focused on Protecting the Homeland”

President Trump fired Kristi Noem as DHS Secretary on Thursday and announced Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma as her replacement, effective March 31. Mullin told reporters on the Capitol steps that he would get the department "focused on protecting the homeland," adding, "Whether you support me or don't support me, I'm going to be laser-focused on getting that done." The Oklahoma senator said the call from Trump caught him off guard but that he's "super excited" to get started. Trump praised Mullin on Truth Social as a "tremendous" lawmaker and the Senate's only Native American member. Noem's ouster came just two days after her bruising Senate Judiciary hearing, where both Democrats and Republicans hammered her over the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, a $220 million ad campaign controversy, and her refusal to retract the "domestic terrorist" label. Trump said Noem "served us well" and is being reassigned as Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas, a new Western Hemisphere security initiative. Sen. Thom Tillis, who delivered one of the harshest rebukes of Noem at Tuesday's hearing, praised Mullin as someone who will "restore competence" to DHS, adding, "Another big positive: he likes dogs."