'Humiliating': Former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem Draws Mockery As Reports Reveal Who Her New Boss Is

Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has become the subject of fresh ridicule after new reports revealed who will be her boss in her new role as part of President Donald Trump's administration.

On Tuesday, March 24, Olivia Gazis of CBS News reported that "in her capacity as Special Envoy to Shield of the Americas, Kristi Noem will report directly to Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau, per a State Department official." For those unaware, Trump fired Noem earlier this month from her position as Homeland Security Secretary and replaced her with Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK).

Meanwhile, she was moved to a new role called the Special Envoy for the "Shield of the Americas" initiative. The move, which followed the intense scrutiny over Noem's $220 million expenditure on a commercial promoting border security, was widely regarded by many critics as a humiliating blow to the former governor of South Dakota's political career.

Trump announced his decision to replace Noem with Mullin as the new DHS secretary via a post on Truth Social. "I am pleased to announce that the Highly Respected United States Senator from the Great State of Oklahoma, Markwayne Mullin, will become the United States Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), effective March 31, 2026," the president wrote of the cabinet-level staffing change. He also praised Noem, who he said, "has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!)"

Meanwhile, the report that Noem's new boss will be a deputy has sparked a new wave of mockery toward the former DHS secretary. Politico diplomatic correspondent Felicia Schwartz posted about the development on X. "Oof," she captioned her post. One user's reply read, "So she's been downgraded to an Assistant Secretary level, But she is so hopeless that she is taking this and staying on. Humiliating... but it didn't even work for her."

Writer Charlotte Clymer came up with an analogy to explain Noem's alleged demotion from cabinet secretary to her new "Special Envoy" role. "In March Madness terms, this is basically like getting kicked off the starting five and winding up as the unlucky student who ensures the team mascot isn't being hassled by drunk frat boys." An X user quipped, "Except you are also the drunk frat boy."

Political commentator Andrew Donaldson said, "What about her emotional support [to] Lewandowski," referring to Noem's senior advisor in her former role, Corey Lewandowski, with whom she has been rumored to be in an extramarital affair for a long time.

As the Special Envoy to "The Shield of the Americas", Noem will focus on improving safety and cooperation across countries in the Western Hemisphere. The program will focus on issues like border security and stronger cooperation between North and South American countries.

After Trump's announcement, Noem shared on X that her new job would require her to work closely with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. It will also require her to work on the administration's war on drugs. She also expressed gratitude to Trump for appointing her to the role.