REPORT: Key Trump Official Could Be Ousted; WH Responds

The White House slapped down a report claiming President Donald Trump is eyeing a replacement for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the face of the administration’s hard-line immigration crackdown.

The Bulwark, citing three unnamed former DHS officials, reported Saturday that Trump is “considering moving on” from Noem, who has driven the most contentious policies on the southern border.

White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson fired back Sunday, blasting the outlet and its sources. “Anonymous former staffers pretend to know what POTUS is thinking and the Bulwark treats them as credible?” she wrote on X.

“This ‘report’and the Bulwark is total FAKE NEWS! Secretary Noem is doing a great job implementing the President’s agenda and Making America Safe Again,” she added.

January 17, 2025 – Washington D.C.: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee considers the nomination of Kristi Noem for Secretary of Homeland Security.

The White House pushback comes as rumors swirl of a potential year-end cabinet shake-up. Any shift at DHS would signal a major move inside an administration facing backlash over immigration policies that have ignited both praise and anger nationwide.

The Bulwark report claimed internal frustration with Noem’s leadership, pointing specifically to her use of longtime Trump ally Corey Lewandowski as a top adviser. CNN reported in November that officials believed Lewandowski’s influence contributed to “mismanagement.” A source reportedly told the network, “Yes, he likes Noem, but it has been brought to his attention that Lewandowski is a problem, and the agency is being mismanaged because of it.”

Lewandowski dismissed the rumors, telling The Bulwark: “None of that is true.”

The outlet also floated Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin as a possible successor once he finishes his term in January, though previous reports indicated Youngkin prefers a business or economic post rather than DHS.

Despite the speculation, Noem has kept a high profile, publicly backing Trump and touting the administration’s immigration offensive. At a recent Cabinet meeting, she told the president, “Thank you for giving me a very interesting job. Some days it’s a little controversial too, but it’s been an honor to work for you. You are a great American. The fights that you pick are the right fights, and they’re on behalf of this country. So I appreciate the chance to do this job heading up this department.”

For now, the White House says her job is secure. Whether that holds through the New Year may depend on whether Trump decides the problem is Noem or the people whispering around her.

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