White House Relocates Noem Loyalists from Homeland Security Amid Internal Strife
The White House is orchestrating a significant reshuffle within the Department of Homeland Security, moving key allies of ousted chief Kristi Noem to new positions as internal tensions escalate over a purported firing list overseen by Stephen Miller. According to sources speaking to the Daily Mail, ten officials closely aligned with Noem have been shifted to the State Department, where they will assist her in her new role as special envoy for The Shield of the Americas.
Blacklist Sparks Fears of Purge Within DHS
This strategic transfer follows the emergence of a blacklist containing the names of more than two dozen Noem loyalists, which has been reviewed by Trump's Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. Miller, a hardline figure instrumental in Noem's recent dismissal, has scrutinised the list, heightening anxieties among staff about potential terminations. A DHS insider familiar with the situation expressed blunt frustration, stating, 'They should all be f**cking fired', reflecting the volatile atmosphere within the agency.
White House officials in the personnel department have attempted to calm nerves, assuring some DHS staff they would be shielded from any purges, as reported by multiple DHS sources. However, a White House official denied Miller's involvement, telling the Daily Mail, 'If any such list exists, Stephen Miller hasn’t seen it'. A Homeland Security spokesperson remained non-committal, stating, 'We have no personnel announcements to make at this time'.
Key Departures and Uncertain Futures
Among those affected are Noem's top deputy chiefs of staff, Joseph Guy, Stephen Munoz, and Troup Hemenway, who are set to leave the agency. They are joined by Customs and Border Protection Deputy Commissioner Joseph Mazzara, a close ally of Corey Lewandowski, who is rumoured to have had a romantic relationship with Noem. All four individuals were included on the blacklist examined by Miller.
Additional officials expected to depart include DHS Deputy General Counsel Giovanna Cinelli, along with staffers Zachary Watson, Josh King, Octavian Miller, Jayden Bies, and Josh Sedore. Corey Lewandowski will also exit Homeland Security, though it remains unclear whether he will join Noem in her new position at the State Department.
Noem's Firing Over Controversial Ad Campaign
Kristi Noem was fired by President Trump earlier this month after testifying on Capitol Hill that he personally approved a controversial $220 million advertisement campaign. The lavish ads featured Noem riding a horse at Mount Rushmore in her home state of South Dakota and galloping alongside a stampeding herd of bison. Her dismissal came just two days after a shocking confrontation during a Senate committee hearing, where hardline GOP Senator John Kennedy grilled her over the campaign.
Kennedy suggested that Noem participated in the commercial to promote herself rather than the President's agenda, questioning, 'The President approved ahead of time you spending $220 million running TV ads across the country in which you are featured prominently?' Noem maintained that Trump personally approved the campaign, to which Kennedy replied, 'to me, it puts the president in a terribly awkward spot'. He added, 'I'm not saying you're not telling the truth. It's just hard for me to believe, knowing the president as I do, that you said, "Mr President, here's some ads I've cut, and I'm going to spend $220 million running them" that he would have agreed to that.'
The confrontation sent shockwaves through the White House, leading to Trump firing Noem after stating he had never approved or reviewed the advertising campaign. She will be replaced by Markwayne Mullin, a conservative senator from Oklahoma, at the end of the month. This upheaval occurs as the vast majority of DHS remains shut down due to Democrats' refusal to approve funding, compounding the department's instability.
