Washington — The President announced Thursday that Department of Homeland Security Secretary will leave her role later this month after facing intense criticism that reached its peak this week, and he announced her replacement.

New Appointment Announced

“I am pleased to announce that the Highly Respected United States Senator from Oklahoma will become the United States Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), effective March 31, 2026,” the President said in a statement.

The Senate would need to confirm the Senator to the post.

The President said the outgoing Secretary “has served us well,” citing her “spectacular results” on border security. He said she will be moving to a role as special envoy for a new security initiative the administration will be unveiling.

Controversial Tenure

The Secretary has been under fire for months, especially as opposition lawmakers refused to fund the Department of Homeland Security after fatal incidents during immigration enforcement operations.

The President’s decision earlier this year to put a border security official in charge of winding down a controversial operation underscored his displeasure with her performance, according to administration officials.

Senate Criticism

The final straw appeared to come during her testimony before the Senate earlier this week, where she faced sharp criticism from both parties.

In particular, a Republican Senator questioned the Secretary about her decision to spend $220 million on an ad campaign aimed at reducing illegal immigration. He asked, “How do you square that concern for waste with the fact that you have spent $220 million running television advertisements that feature you prominently?”

He pointed out that she had hired individuals who had previously worked on political campaigns. The Secretary responded, “That’s not correct,” and the Senator replied, “I think it is.”

Ad Campaign Controversy

The ad campaign has also come under scrutiny over how the contract was awarded. A lawmaker questioned the Secretary about why it didn’t go to competitive bidding. He noted that the media company is affiliated with a former political operative and was incorporated shortly before the contract was awarded.

A Democratic Senator had previously called for an investigation into the contract, noting that a large portion had been awarded to a company that allegedly funneled funds to another firm with close ties to the Secretary and other senior officials.

Internal Criticism

Even within DHS, the Secretary was facing mounting criticism from senior administration officials, with growing calls for action to be taken.

A senior adviser to the Secretary had a contentious conversation with the President after her testimony before the Senate, according to sources familiar with the discussion.

Congressional Reactions

On Capitol Hill, soon after the President’s announcement, the Senator-nominee said he found out about the nomination shortly before it was made public.

White House officials said they will work with the Senate to confirm the nominee “as quickly as possible.”

A Republican Senator commented on the President’s selection, saying, “I can’t think of anybody I’d more proudly want to support to come in and clean up the mess.”

The Senate Minority Leader was quick to express opposition, stating, “The rot in DHS is deep, much deeper than any individual. It’s a question of policy not personnel. The Senate should not consider any DHS Secretary nominee until DHS and ICE are reined in.”