Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen may be the next cabinet member to be ousted from the Trump administration, according to a new report.
The Washington Post reports that President Trump has shared with advisers that he will boot Nielsen as early as this week, despite opposition from White House chief of staff John Kelly. Kelly is advocating for Nielsen to remain at her post or to delay her departure.
[Read more: Here are the notable Trump aides who have left the administration]
Trump, who has expressed dissatisfaction with Nielsen’s performance for months, has told aides he is ready for Nielsen to depart the administration as soon as possible, five current and former White House officials told the Post. The officials also said Trump canceled a trip with Nielsen to South Texas this week.
Nielsen, who first assumed her position Dec. 6, has been dissatisfied with her job the past several months, but has been hesitant to leave her post, colleagues said.
But a press secretary for the Department of Homeland Security said that Nielsen is dedicated to carrying out Trump’s priorities and will “continue to do so.”
“The Secretary is honored to lead the men and women of DHS and is committed to implementing the President’s security-focused agenda to protect Americans from all threats and will continue to do so,” Tyler Houlton told the Washington Examiner.
[Previous coverage: Trump heaps praise on Kirstjen Nielsen amid zero tolerance policy backlash]
According to the Post, Trump is allegedly difficult to satisfy and grows impatient when Nielsen has attempted to spell out underpinnings of immigration laws after Trump has suggested dramatic action such as cutting back immigration or closing the U.S.-Mexico border.
Trump has told aides he is eyeing several potential candidates to fill Nielsen’s spot, including commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Kevin McAleenan, and the administrator of the Transportation Security Administration David Pekoske.
“If I were advising the White House I’d encourage them to nominate someone with executive branch experience,” a senior DHS official told the Post. “This will be our fourth secretary in two years. The last thing we want is someone who needs hand-holding.”
Kelly previously served as the head of the agency before he moved over to his post at the White House and pushed for Nielsen to succeed him. Meanwhile, Kelly’s own role at the White House remains uncertain, the Post reports.
