President Trump’s decision to remove Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem came after months of mounting tension within the department, with her handling of an alleged affair with top aide Corey Lewandowski cited as a critical factor.
According to the New York Post, officials close to the White House said the final trigger was Noem’s testimony during a House hearing on Wednesday, when she was asked directly whether she had a personal relationship with Lewandowski.
Her refusal to answer clearly, especially with her husband, Bryon Noem, present, was seen as a public misstep that left Trump’s patience exhausted.
“The question about the affair at the hearing was actually the final straw. It was f—ing brutal,” one source said. Another insider added, “It kept mounting up. It all became about her and him.”
Trump had also been frustrated by Noem’s previous claim that he approved a $220 million advertising campaign featuring herself.
Some of the money reportedly flowed to a company run by the husband of her former spokeswoman, raising additional concerns about transparency.
Louisiana Republican Sen. John Kennedy told reporters after Noem’s termination that Trump was “mad as a murder hornet” and had been considering replacing her with Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) as early as Tuesday night, following her Senate testimony. However, the president waited until Thursday — after Noem’s House appearance — to make the change.
“The president, when he called me Tuesday night, the night of the hearing, when he was mad as a murder hornet, he asked me what I thought about Markwayne,” Kennedy said.
Administration officials said Noem’s removal reflected a broader pattern of leadership failures, including mismanagement of staff, conflicts with ICE and FEMA officials, and operational missteps during high-profile immigration actions.
Trump named Mullin as Noem’s replacement, marking the first cabinet shakeup of his second term.
Noem, meanwhile, presented a composed public front, thanking the president for appointing her as Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas and highlighting what she described as “historic accomplishments at the Department of Homeland Security.”
Lewandowski, who had served as Noem’s de facto chief of staff, described himself as an “unpaid volunteer” and declined to comment on his future role in the administration.
Sources say the shakeup is part of Trump’s effort to restore order within DHS after months of internal conflicts, high-profile staff departures, and damaging public disputes.
