Soon after Kristi Noem was fired as Homeland Security Secretary on Thursday, speculations about the potential reason behind President Trump’s sudden decision started doing the rounds. The 54-year-old recently faced a House hearing about her alleged sexual relations with top aide Corey Lewandowski, and one of her answers potentially doomed her, a White House source told The New York Post.
As per the report, Noem’s stunning non-answer on a direct question about her affair was the ‘final straw’, and prompted Trump to fire her. The president was already boiling over Noem after she told senators on Tuesday that he approved $220 million in ads starring herself.
“The question about the affair at the hearing was actually the final straw. It was f—ing brutal,” one source told the Post.
“There was just no going back with the two hearings. It all became about her and him,” another source added.
Corey Lewandowski reacts to Noem’s firing
Meanwhile, Lewandowski spoke to The New York Post about Noem’s firing. “I would never try and assume to get in the mind of President Trump. I think he has his reasons for everything he does, and we have seen enormous success from his leadership at the White House,” he said.
Reuters cited sources to report last week that Lewandowski entered the cockpit uninvited on a US government plane last year during a flight on which he later fired the pilot because Noem’s blanket had been misplaced. Lewandowski said the facts as related by the sources were wrong, but he did not respond to certain questions about the incident.
Trump makes new DHS pick
Meanwhile, Trump announced that he has nominated Senator Markwayne Mullin to replace Noem. A member of the Cherokee Nation, the 48-year-old Republican senator from the central state of Oklahoma is currently the only Native American serving in the US Senate.
“Serving 10 years in the United States House of Representatives, and 3 in the Senate, Markwayne has done a tremendous job representing the wonderful People of Oklahoma, where I won all 77 out of 77 Counties — in 2016, 2020, and 2024! A MAGA Warrior, and former undefeated professional MMA fighter, Markwayne truly gets along well with people, and knows the Wisdom and Courage required to Advance our America First Agenda,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
