One of the most outspoken faces of Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown is stepping down, raising questions about internal rift in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Tricia McLaughlin, the chief spokesperson for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, is leaving the Trump administration next week, according to two DHS officials familiar with the move.
She is expected to inform colleagues of her decision on Tuesday, reports Politico.
Her departure comes at a sensitive moment. The department is facing a funding lapse as Republicans and Democrats negotiate possible reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). It also follows growing public disapproval about the administration’s hardline immigration approach.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll last week found that 58 per cent of Americans believe Trump’s crackdown has gone too far.
McLaughlin was widely seen as one of the administration’s most forceful defenders of its immigration policies.
She is a former ABC News contributor and also frequently appeared on Fox News, CNN, CBS, NPR and Newsmax, sometimes logging up to five media appearances a day. She described the communications battle over immigration in stark terms.
“Media is so much of the battle, so to speak, on the immigration issue,” she told the Cincinnati Enquirer last month.
She added: “So much of the debate is a [public relations] debate. It’s a PR war.”
Her exit had been planned since December, according to people briefed on the matter, but was delayed in the aftermath of the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis at the hands of federal agents last month.
McLaughlin previously worked for Vivek Ramaswamy’s 2024 presidential campaign and Ohio governor Mike DeWine. During Trump’s first term, she served under Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin and at the State Department on arms control issues.
Her high-profile role brought backlash from Democrats.
Despite this, she retained the president’s public backing. After a December appearance on Fox, Trump praised the “wonderful TRICIA MCLAUGHLIN” and also said, “Tricia really knows her ‘STUFF!’”
On New Year’s Day, McLaughlin appeared to address critics indirectly by sharing a meme on Instagram that read: “Your boos mean nothing.
I’ve seen what makes you cheer. ”
The DHS has faced a lot of criticism in recent months, including a Wall Street Journal report that described “constant chaos” within the agency and questioned Kristi Noem’s leadership. The article referred to allegations that a US Coast Guard pilot was dismissed for misplacing the secretary’s blanket. Some inside the GOP administration have expressed frustration over the department’s handling of high-profile incidents.
At one stage, Trump appointed border czar Tom Homan to oversee operations in Minneapolis, a move seen by some as a sign of concern about Noem’s approach.
Noem confirmed Tricia’s imminent departure in a statement: “She has played an instrumental role in advancing our mission to secure the homeland and keep Americans safe. While we are sad to see her leave, we are grateful for her service and wish Tricia nothing but success.”
