U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly dismissed Kristi Noem, Minister of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
On the 5th (local time), President Trump said on the social network service Truth Social, "Kristi Noem has done an excellent job and delivered numerous remarkable results (especially at the border!)," and stated accordingly.
This is the first time in the Trump second-term administration that a sitting Minister has been replaced.
At the same time, President Trump said, "Minister Noem will move to serve as envoy for 'Shield of America,' a new security initiative for the Western Hemisphere that we will unveil on Saturday in Doral, Florida."
Earlier this year in Minnesota, two U.S. citizens were killed by shots fired by agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under DHS, and more recently DHS drew controversy over a "luxury private jet" and a "big-money advertising campaign," prompting President Trump to appear to make a disciplinary personnel decision.
When news broke in Minnesota of the deaths of U.S. citizens, Minister Noem immediately labeled the deceased as "domestic terrorists," facing a wave of public criticism and becoming a political burden for President Trump, who holds the appointment authority.
It also sparked controversy that the Coast Guard under DHS signed a contract in Oct. last year, during the longest federal government shutdown, to purchase two Gulfstream G700 jets for $172 million (about 250 billion won).
The official purpose of the jets is long-range command and control, but criticism arose that, given their spacious interiors and amenities as a high-end model, they were for protocol use by senior officials including Minister Noem.
A recent DHS-produced border security TV campaign ad has also come under fire. The ad, which prominently features Minister Noem on horseback, was said to have cost $220 million (about 326 billion won).
Minister Noem, a longtime "loyalist" to President Trump, served as South Dakota governor and, since taking office as homeland security Minister in Jan. last year, has overseen border security including second-term Trump administration immigration enforcement.
However, President Trump appears to have determined that the controversies surrounding Minister Noem had surpassed a manageable level ahead of the November midterm elections.
Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin has been designated as Minister Noem's successor as of the 31st of this month. Mullin can take office officially only after winning confirmation by the U.S. Senate, but can still direct DHS operations as acting Minister before then.