House Oversight Dem Robert Garcia celebrates Kristi Noem’s firing: ‘Now we don’t have to impeach her’

One of the most divisive cabinet officials in history is out of her job. President Donald Trump said Thursday that he is replacing Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, naming Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin to take over the role.

Keep up with the latest in LGBTQ+ news and politics. Sign up for The Advocate's email newsletter.

In a post on Truth Social Thursday afternoon, Trump said Mullin will become homeland security secretary effective March 31.

“I am pleased to announce that the Highly Respected United States Senator from the Great State of Oklahoma, Markwayne Mullin, will become the United States Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), effective March 31, 2026,” Trump wrote.

Related: Rep. Robin Kelly files articles of impeachment against Kristi Noem

Related: Kristi Noem struggles as Republicans & Democrats grill her in fiery Senate hearing

It's unclear whether Noem was aware that she’d been relieved of her position. As news of Trump’s decision spread, Noem was busy speaking at the Sergeant Benevolent Association Major Cities Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

California U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia, the gay ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, who has been critical of Noem, celebrated her departure.

"Well now we don’t have to impeach her," he wrote on X.

The move comes just one day after Noem sat for her first oversight hearing by the House Judiciary Committee and two days after she endured a tense Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in which lawmakers from both parties sharply questioned her leadership of DHS. During the hearing, senators pressed her on immigration enforcement, legal authorities, and department policies, and she struggled at times to answer questions about the government’s actions and the legal framework governing immigration enforcement.

Lawmakers also confronted Noem about a series of controversies that have shadowed her tenure at DHS.

Among them were the killings of two people during federal immigration enforcement actions in Minneapolis earlier this year. Renée Good was shot and killed during a January operation, and weeks later, Alex Pretti, an intensive care unit nurse who was filming an immigration arrest, was fatally shot during a struggle involving federal agents. Noem falsely called the victims “domestic terrorists” within hours of the incidents. The deaths prompted protests and calls from lawmakers for independent investigations.

Related: Powerful House Oversight Democrat calls for Kristi Noem’s impeachment & ICE abolishment

Related: Who is Kristi Noem? A look at the anti-LGBTQ+, dog-killing governor and vice president aspirant

Noem also faced scrutiny over a $220 million taxpayer-funded advertising campaign promoting the administration’s immigration policies. During the Senate hearing, lawmakers questioned the contract after reporting revealed that a subcontractor tied to the husband of a former DHS spokesperson received funds connected to the campaign.

Separately, senators pressed Noem about DHS’s purchase and use of luxury aircraft, including a refurbished Boeing jet outfitted with high-end amenities, raising concerns about spending at the department.

During Noem’s tenure at DHS, a transgender Transportation Security Administration officer filed a lawsuit alleging discrimination tied to agency policies implemented after a Trump executive order limiting federal recognition of gender identity. The department also canceled millions of dollars in diversity, equity, and inclusion funding, including programs that supported LGBTQ+ communities.

Mullin has previously faced criticism for comments about LGBTQ+ officials. In television appearances, he referred dismissively to transgender health official former Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel Levine, the first out trans gender person confirmed by the U.S. Senate after President Joe Biden nominated her in 2021, when discussing pronouns, and has participated in congressional debates questioning research and medical guidance related to gender-affirming care for transgender youth.

Trump praised Mullin as “a MAGA Warrior,” highlighting his decade in the U.S. House before his election to the Senate and his background as a former professional mixed martial arts fighter.

“Markwayne truly gets along well with people, and knows the Wisdom and Courage required to Advance our America First Agenda,” Trump wrote. “Markwayne will work tirelessly to Keep our Border Secure.”