Trump fires Kristi Noem as Homeland Security secretary

President Donald Trump says he’s replacing his embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and will nominate in her place Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin.

Trump made the announcement on social media on Thursday, two days after Noem faced a grilling on Capitol Hill from GOP members as well as Democrats.

Trump says he’ll make Noem a “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas,” a new security initiative that he said would focus on the Western Hemisphere.

During both days of testimony, Noem was repeatedly made to answer for her characterization of the two killed protesters, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, as armed agitators. Bystanders’ video and accounts have contradicted Noem’s depiction of events.

The top Democrat on the House committee, Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, pushed Noem about her comments.

“You told a lie about them. You said they were domestic terrorists,” Raskin said.

Other Democrats questioned why DHS officers used force to yank people out of vehicles or why they’d pulled an American citizen from his Minneapolis home in his pajamas.

Noem also faced criticism from some Republicans, including most notably retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who on Tuesday called her leadership a “disaster.”

Over the two days, Noem pushed back on the allegations, saying that Democrats didn’t have their facts correct and defended how her officers operate.

“We do targeted enforcement based on intelligence and go after the worst of the worst,” Noem said.

Speaking Tuesday of her comments after the shootings, Noem said she was relying on information from people on the scene and blamed “violent protesters” for contributing to the chaos officers encountered.

Noem’s department was infused with $170 billion, money granted by Congress that has since sparked questions over where and how it is being spent.

The secretary on Wednesday was asked about her department’s decision to carry out a $220 million ad campaign featuring Noem that encouraged people in the country illegally to leave voluntarily.

Democrats and Sen. John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, questioned whether the contracts went through a competitive bidding process and whether Noem’s associates unfairly benefited from the process.

“You’re using millions of dollars of taxpayer money in this way,” said Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse, who called it fraud. “Ultimately I think there’s going to be accountability.”

Noem said the spending was carried out lawfully and claimed that Trump signed off on it. The White House on Thursday denied those claiming, telling NBC News that the president “absolutely” did not sign off on a $220 million dollar ad campaign.

NBC News reported Thursday that Trump had grown frustrated with Noem and had begun to consider possible replacements, citing lawmakers and people familiar with the discussions.

 This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.