At last, Donald Trump decided to remove Kristi Noem, the official of many controversies. But there are no signs that anything will truly change.

The man chosen to replace her is as unqualified as she ever was: Senator Markwayne Mullin.

Mullin has been nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) following Noem’s dismissal, and he is expected to assume the role of Secretary of Homeland Security on March 31, 2026.

The DHS is one of the largest agencies in the federal government. With roughly 260,000 employees and a broad range of responsibilities—including FEMA—it also has the largest budget of any department. Its mission is to protect the homeland, not simply to deport people of color.

Neither Noem nor Mullin has demonstrated the experience required to run such a vast and complex institution.

Noem was not removed because of the deaths of detainees in immigration facilities. She was not dismissed because citizens and lawful residents were sometimes swept up in immigration arrests. Nor did the White House appear troubled by repeated accusations that ICE agents used excessive force while detaining individuals at homes, workplaces, or on the streets.

Mass raids during this period detained thousands of people with no criminal record. By some reports, roughly 75 percent of those arrested had no prior convictions.

Even the controversy surrounding a government jet allegedly refitted with luxury accommodations and rumored to be linked to Noem and her aide Corey Lewandowski did not appear to end her tenure.

What finally crossed the line seems to have been political rather than ethical. Reports indicated that Noem oversaw a $220 million advertising campaign that prominently promoted her public profile. During a congressional hearing, she stated that Trump had approved the ads—something the president later denied.

That claim reportedly infuriated him.

After her removal, Noem was reassigned to a position associated with the “Shield of the Americas,” a role said to have no staff, no aircraft, and few defined responsibilities.

Yet the policies that drew criticism during her tenure remain unchanged.

There has been no meaningful shift away from enforcement tactics that critics say have spread fear throughout immigrant communities and raised serious human-rights concerns.

Trump has long insisted on being the central voice and image of his political movement. Few others are permitted to share that spotlight.

Meanwhile, the country faces larger challenges.

The United States appears to be drifting toward another unnecessary war. At the same time, the public has not received full transparency on issues such as the Trump-Epstein files or the underlying weaknesses in the nation’s economic foundations.

These pressures are creating unease within the Republican Party. Some candidates are quietly searching for political distance that will not anger the MAGA base.

Already, about 30 Republicans have announced they will not seek reelection.

At the same time, polls suggest that many Americans oppose current mass-deportation policies and the harsh tactics associated with some ICE operations.

The “No Kings” demonstrations planned for March 28 are expected to draw large crowds and could signal the mood of millions of voters.

While calls had been growing in Congress for bipartisan action against Noem, her departure now makes that unnecessary. Nevertheless, investigations and possible civil or criminal proceedings could still emerge if questions about her testimony under oath continue.

Beyond Washington, international tensions are escalating.

With domestic programs already strained, a widening conflict in the Middle East is beginning to affect American consumers.

Iran’s government has named Mojtaba Khamenei as the Islamic Republic’s new supreme leader following the reported death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in an airstrike at the start of the current conflict.

According to Iranian state media, several members of Mojtaba Khamenei’s family—including his wife Zahra Adel, his mother Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, and one of his sons—also died in the initial attacks.

Given those circumstances, the new leader may carry deep grievances against Israel, the United States, and their allies.

At home, the detention and deportation of large numbers of immigrant workers—combined with rising fuel prices linked to war—are weakening public confidence in both government leadership and economic management.

For MAGA-aligned candidates heading into the next election cycle, these developments could become serious political warning signs.