{"id":2584533,"date":"2026-03-27T12:33:02","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T16:33:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/knight-in-shining-armor-mullin-begins-to-right-noems-wrongs-at-dhs\/"},"modified":"2026-03-27T12:36:55","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T16:36:55","slug":"knight-in-shining-armor-mullin-begins-to-right-noems-wrongs-at-dhs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/knight-in-shining-armor-mullin-begins-to-right-noems-wrongs-at-dhs\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Knight in shining armor&#8217; Mullin begins to right Noem&#8217;s wrongs at DHS"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fknight-in-shining-armor-mullin-begins-to-right-noems-wrongs-at-dhs%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2584533&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>the piece outlines how Markwayne Mullin, after being confirmed as the new head of the Department of Homeland Security, starts to reverse Kristi Noem\u2019s disruptive and tightly controlled leadership. It portrays Noem and Corey Lewandowski as having imposed sweeping,sometimes chaotic policies that sidelined career staff,stoked internal turmoil,and drew congressional scrutiny over contracts and promotions. Mullin\u2019s first days are described as an effort to restore normal operations, empower career officials, and reset DHS\u2019s immigration enforcement approach.<\/p>\n<p>Key points:<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Mullin replaces Noem and moves quickly to undo sweeping DHS policies, focusing on immigration policy, filling long-vacant leadership roles, and restoring more traditional management practices guided by career staff and experienced advisors like Tom Homan.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Noem\u2019s leadership is depicted as centralized and punitive: promotions required her sign-off, dozens of senior staff were pushed out or sidelined, and public affairs across DHS were tightly controlled, leading to widespread dysfunction at the agencies\u2019 senior levels.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Noem\u2019s era also featured high-profile, controversial actions, including internal disputes, intimidation rhetoric, and a crackdown on media communications. Glamour photographs of Noem in DHS offices were displayed and later removed after her departure.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; The report highlights fallout from aggressive enforcement campaigns, such as the Minneapolis operations led by a DHS appointee, which drew public backlash after deadly incidents and a shift in strategy toward targeting violent or already-deported individuals rather than broad, public arrests.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Mullin faces congressional scrutiny over DHS contracts and procurement, as well as the challenge of restoring agency morale and effectiveness while addressing ongoing vacancies that Noem left unresolved.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; The article notes attention-grabbing, disputed episodes and quotes from officials about leadership tensions, including concerns about surveillance within the agency and internal power struggles, which further illustrate the chaotic habitat mullin is stepping into.<\/p>\n<p>the piece presents Mullin\u2019s early tenure as a corrective attempt to stabilize DHS, reduce the overbearing control seen under Noem, and refocus the department on conventional, career-driven governance and targeted enforcement.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Glamour shots of Noem and phones in Faraday bags: Mullin takes on a messy DHS<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2542224\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>EXCLUSIVE &mdash;&nbsp;<\/strong>Before <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kristi-noem\">Kristi Noem<\/a> was even out the door, her more than 10 framed glamour shots hanging on the walls of one of her Washington offices were being taken down by staff. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-homeland-security\">Department of Homeland Security<\/a> employees at one agency were eager,&nbsp;even <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4482096\/dhs-trump-insiders-celebrate-kristi-noem-departure\/\">tearful<\/a>, about the future.<\/p>\n<p>Her replacement, former Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, is quickly finding his way into his new role atop the nation&rsquo;s third-largest federal department and its more than a quarter of a million employees.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/premium\/4503186\/some-lives-more-valuable-than-others-liberal-media-sheridan-gorman\/\">For the Left, some lives are apparently more valuable than others<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/premium\/4504170\/cover-up-worse-than-the-crime-dc-stats\/\">The cover-up is worse than the crime: One woman&#8217;s experience with D.C. public safety stats<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4505938\/doj-investigate-maine-and-california-prisons\/\">DOJ to investigate Maine and California over constitutionality of &#8216;housing men in women&#8217;s prisons&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Within 24 hours of being <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4501881\/trump-swears-in-mullin-as-new-homeland-security-secretary\/\">sworn in<\/a> at the White House surrounded by family on Wednesday, Mullin had rolled up his sleeves and begun undoing the unprecedented regulations that Noem and her cohort, Corey Lewandowski, had imposed across the department.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;He has the opportunity to be like a prince or knight in shining armor as he comes riding over the hill and saves everybody from this freaking chaos,&rdquo; a senior official within DHS said in a phone call Wednesday evening. &ldquo;All he has to do, literally, is put things back in a normal order.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> spoke with five current and former senior department officials, as well as two sources familiar with Noem&rsquo;s management, to piece together what Noem&rsquo;s final days and Mullin&rsquo;s first ones on the job entailed.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-fighter-meets-his-fight\">A fighter meets his fight<\/h2>\n<p>President Donald Trump had planned for Mullin, a former U.S. senator and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/media-shocked-gina-carano-fought-back-as-her-movie-deal-with-daily-wire-goes-viral\/\" title=\"... Shocked Gina Carano Fought Back As Her Movie Deal With Daily Wire Goes Viral\">mixed martial arts fighter<\/a>, to take over for Noem on March 31, but the Senate moved quickly with his <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4500974\/markwayne-mullin-confirmed-dhs-secretary-support-two-democrats\/\">confirmation<\/a>, allowing Noem to hit the road early. She has since been shifted into a new position as Special Envoy for the Western Hemisphere.<\/p>\n<p>Much of Mullin&rsquo;s work over the next few weeks and months will include getting up to speed on the intricacies of immigration policy, one of Trump&rsquo;s top issues,&nbsp;as well as learning about the various missions of the nearly two dozen offices and agencies under his control.<\/p>\n<p>But Mullin will simultaneously be putting out fires that senior officials say were set by Noem and Lewandowski, a special government employee who is <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/news\/article-12509093\/Kristin-Noem-Corey-Lewandowski-secret-affair.html\">reported<\/a> to have engaged in an extramarital affair with Noem since 2019.<\/p>\n<p id=\"h-the-only-upside-to-how-noem-and-lewandowski-secretly-controlled-agency-operations-was-that-the-majority-of-rank-and-file-employees-were-not-impacted-by-it-according-to-the-first-official-the-downside-was-that-the-large-majority-of-dhs-personnel-have-no-idea-how-bad-it-got-at-the-senior-levels-within-agencies\">The only upside to how Noem and Lewandowski secretly controlled agency operations was that the majority of rank-and-file employees were not affected by it, according to the first official. The downside was that the vast majority of DHS personnel had no idea how chaotic it got at the senior levels within agencies.<\/p>\n<p id=\"h-lifting-noem-s-unprecedented-policies\">&ldquo;[Corey] is constantly threatening to fire people,&rdquo; a second person said. &ldquo;His go-to is, &lsquo;I&rsquo;ll just fire your ass. You don&rsquo;t want to be here and do the mission. I&rsquo;ll just fire your ass.&#8217;&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The duo even cracked down on agency communications with media, <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >forbidding long-standing career spokespeople<\/a> and political appointees from giving statements to the press without prior approval from DHS. The first official said the lockdown on public affairs specialists across the department was &ldquo;worse&rdquo; than how the Biden administration&rsquo;s DHS had cracked down.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I never in a million years thought anything like this would happen,&rdquo; the same person said. &ldquo;It got very ugly to say the least.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Mullin will quickly have to remake the department&rsquo;s approach to interior immigration enforcement, stabilize tanking public support for deportations, and shift DHS&rsquo;s public messaging away from meme-driven and combative posts that have been plastered across the department&rsquo;s social media accounts for the last year.<\/p>\n<p>One such post lifted an illustration by Japanese illustrator Hiroshi Nagai and added &ldquo;America After 100 Million Deportations,&rdquo; along with the caption: &ldquo;The peace of a nation no longer besieged by the third world.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DS8Tx3XCRLQ\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\">\n<div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DS8Tx3XCRLQ\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\"> <\/p>\n<div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewbox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DS8Tx3XCRLQ\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\">A post shared by Dept. of Homeland Security (@dhsgov)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>    <\/p>\n<p>In Mullin&rsquo;s first 24 hours, he greenlighted the department&rsquo;s retrieval of federally owned social media accounts that now-retired Border Patrol agent Gregory Bovino had taken over from Border Patrol for more than eight months amid his tour from city to city, arresting illegal immigrants.<\/p>\n<p>The many images of Bovino wearing an SS-style coat and responding personally to comments on the government pages disappeared midday on Thursday. It was one of Mullin&rsquo;s first steps to correcting course, the first official said.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Congressman Bennie Thompson says Greg Bovino&rsquo;s Border Patrol-issued jacket is &ldquo;Nazi attire&rdquo; and then displays an AI image of Alex Pretti being shot by a headless ICE agent.<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/a49asl7rXb\">pic.twitter.com\/a49asl7rXb<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Bruce Snyder (@realBruceSnyder) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/realBruceSnyder\/status\/2021277003588993341?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 10, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>    <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-lifting-noem-s-unprecedented-policies\">Lifting Noem&rsquo;s unprecedented policies<\/h2>\n<p>Mullin&rsquo;s biggest to-dos are expected to center on letting agencies fill vacancies that they have carried since January 2025 due to Noem&rsquo;s refusal to allow agency leaders to approve promotions within their agencies.<\/p>\n<p>All managerial and senior promotions had to be approved by Noem and Lewandowski, in what three officials speculated was a move to ensure those who moved up the ladder were people they could influence and benefit from having in those roles.<\/p>\n<p>When Noem and Lewandowski did not like an employee, they pushed them out of their job. In just one agency, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4486735\/at-least-fifteen-senior-cbp-employees-pushed-out-under-noem-sources\/\">15 senior staff<\/a> were put on administrative leave, moved to a different agency, or fired. Lewandowski has already left the department, a DHS spokesperson told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>DHS agencies have been plagued with vacancies for 14 months as the result of Noem&rsquo;s slow-walking permanent hires department-wide. Internal selections of career officials to promote were ignored by Noem across agencies, which prevented people from being in a position to make decisions and added to the workloads of more senior officials.<\/p>\n<p>A fourth official, who previously served in management within Border Patrol, said it was imperative that Mullin rely on the career staff across the department because they have proven capable of continuing to run it despite the negative impacts from previous leadership.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Number one thing, you just trust your career people, the people that have been in those positions their entire career. Listen to what they have to say and trust them with that,&rdquo; the official said, adding that Mullin would also be smart to rely on the four decades of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dhs-sec-mayorkas-tells-cbp-commissioner-to-step-down-over-border-chaos-he-also-pretends-doesnt-exist\/\" title=\"... Sec Mayorkas Tells CBP Commissioner to Step Down Over ... Chaos He Also Pretends Doesn\u2019t Exist\">federal law enforcement experience<\/a> in White House border czar Tom Homan. &ldquo;Tom&rsquo;s the WWE of immigration or border.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Mullin is expected to lift Noem&rsquo;s self-imposed review of all department contracts valued at more than $100,000. As of early March, more than 1,000 contracts were awaiting Noem&rsquo;s approval, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/thehill.com\/policy\/energy-environment\/5765866-noem-dhs-fema\/#:~:text=Noem's%20spending%20review%20has%20held,which%20hit%20the%20Southeast%20U.S.\">according to<\/a> <em>The Hill<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Mullin will also face congressional Democrats&rsquo; wrath as lawmakers on Capitol Hill have already begun to investigate DHS for the massive contracts to individuals and companies that were inexperienced, had connections to Noem&rsquo;s staff, or contained other irregularities.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-fallout-from-minneapolis\">Fallout from Minneapolis<\/h2>\n<p>A mass deportation campaign that was first described by the White House as being about arresting and deporting the &ldquo;worst of the worst&rdquo; quickly became a numbers game in which DHS pushed for quantity of arrests, rather than focusing on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/stephen-miller-vs-ice-the-fight-within-the-trump-administration\/\" title=\"Stephen Miller vs. ICE: The fight within the Trump administration\">targeting criminal illegal immigrants<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Noem and Lewandowski tapped Border Patrol&rsquo;s El Centro, California, Chief Greg Bovino, to singlehandedly lead Border Patrol operations in the interior of the country, assisting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.<\/p>\n<p>After descending on several cities in mid-2025 through early 2026, the operations devolved into chaos in Minneapolis, and Noem was forced to remove Bovino from his job overseeing the at-large operations, as public support in polls declined swiftly following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens.<\/p>\n<p>Homan was dispatched to Minneapolis for several weeks and steered the operation to focus instead on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senior-administration-officials-spill-internal-reaction-to-noem-firing\/\" title=\"Senior administration ... spill internal reaction to Noem firing\">arresting specific violent illegal immigrants<\/a> and those already ordered to be deported by a judge, rather than approaching or arresting illegal immigrants in public.<\/p>\n<p>But as Noem came under more criticism for the more than $200 million contract DHS paid for advertising to an organization that was less than two weeks old, DHS announced plans to erect nearly 500 miles of border wall in a part of the U.S.-Mexico border that Border Patrol itself recommended technology, not a wall, be used to secure.<\/p>\n<p>A former Border Patrol official familiar with the agency&rsquo;s long-standing plans for securing the region said the Big Bend region of southcentral and western Texas is a place that&rsquo;s &ldquo;never had wall, never had plans for wall.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Immediately following the announcement, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/infrastructure\/4492783\/texas-republicans-and-democrats-unite-block-border-wall-big-bend\/\">pushback<\/a> from Democrats and Republicans in the region led DHS to quietly cancel those border wall plans.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-agency-leader-haunted\">Agency leader haunted <\/h2>\n<p>All the while, Noem and Lewandowski were determined to push out Senate-confirmed CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott in hopes of bringing up Border Patrol&rsquo;s national chief, Mike Banks.<\/p>\n<p>Three people told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> that Scott had become paranoid that Lewandowski was spying on him through his work phone and had bugged his office. Scott believed Lewandowski was trying to find anything that could persuade Trump to fire Scott, since Noem lacked the authority to do so herself.<\/p>\n<p>One person said he saw Scott&rsquo;s privacy concern on display during a visit to CBP&rsquo;s headquarters this winter.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I went up to see [Scott] in his office,&rdquo; the same person said, adding that he received a message from Scott as he arrived that Scott was outside the agency&rsquo;s office space in a separate, public area of the building.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Rodney had his cell phones in a Faraday bag,&rdquo; the source said.<\/p>\n<p>Faraday bags are containers made of conductive materials, including metal or aluminum-coated fabric, capable of blocking all electromagnetic signals, and are used to shield cell phones from surveillance.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I had never seen that outside of the intel community, where somebody&rsquo;s putting their phones in a bag so they&rsquo;re not emanating and can&rsquo;t be monitored,&rdquo; the same person said. &ldquo;I went ahead and put my phone in the bag, and that&rsquo;s when we had the conversation.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-noem-s-glamour-shots-on-display\">Noem&rsquo;s glamour shots on display<\/h2>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Framed pictures in former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem&rsquo;s office within one agency building in Washington shows Noem during her many trips to the border and embedded on interior immigration enforcement operations. (Courtesy image)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>What can only be described as glamour shots of Noem lined the walls and halls inside her spacious office at CBP&rsquo;s headquarters, although officials familiar with Noem&rsquo;s visits to the building say she rarely set foot in that office.<\/p>\n<p>As secretary, Noem had offices in every agency&rsquo;s headquarters. Not long after she took office last January, her team removed the existing pictures of federal agents in boats, on horseback, and in helicopters.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Every single picture had a picture of Noem, and it was such a turn off,&rdquo; a fourth official said. &ldquo;People were snickering about it, like, &lsquo;Did you see the upgrade?&rsquo; No leader that I know would have allowed that to happen. If they walked in and saw their photo in every picture, they would say, &lsquo;What were you thinking?&#8217;&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A picture taken of a picture hanging in former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem&rsquo;s office within one agency building in Washington shows Noem at the center of a group of federal law enforcement. The federal police are out of focus and Noem, wearing an ICE ball cap and bulletproof vest, is in focus as she looks past the camera. (Courtesy image)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The framed pictures included one of Noem standing between Border Patrol agents with a hand on each of their shoulders, looking into the distance as she boards a CBP helicopter while sporting oversized sunglasses; one of herself flying an airplane; and one of herself riding an all-terrain vehicle while wearing pearl earrings and a pearl necklace with a bulletproof vest.<\/p>\n<p>One hall of her office had a picture of Noem riding an all-terrain vehicle, followed by federal agents, as if she were leading the charge into battle.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In another picture, the four federal employees sitting next to Noem are out of focus, while Noem is perfectly in focus, sporting an ICE ball cap with the agency&rsquo;s new logo.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/national-security\/4502184\/dhs-100000-employees-unpaid-amid-shutdown\/\">DHS: 100,000 EMPLOYEES UNPAID AMID SHUTDOWN<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One person said Lewandowski may have been behind the Noem-centric photo gallery. She may have been so insulated that she was unaware that people within agencies did not approve of her, the seventh official said.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pictures in former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem&rsquo;s office at U.S. Customs and Border Protection headquarters in Washington feature the secretary during her trips with federal law enforcement. (Courtesy images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In the days following Noem&rsquo;s fall from the president&rsquo;s graces and her termination, the pictures were taken down.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mullin to fix DHS after Noem turmoil<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2655,"featured_media":2584534,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-collage-gzczq312p-1774557992006.jpg?1774613261&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[7492,3976,56760,8794,5894],"class_list":["post-2584533","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-dhs","tag-investigation","tag-mullin-2","tag-noem","tag-politics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-collage-gzczq312p-1774557992006.jpg?1774613261&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2584533","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2655"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2584533"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2584533\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2584537,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2584533\/revisions\/2584537"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2584534"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2584533"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2584533"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2584533"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}