President Donald Trump did not address the recent firing of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, nor did he respond to questions about the secretary during his first public appearance since her Thursday afternoon ouster.
Trump appeared with soccer superstar Lionel Messi at a White House event for Inter Miami CF, the winners of the 2025 Major League Soccer Cup. He notably praised several Cabinet members, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who attended the event, but was silent about Noem’s pending departure.
“I’m telling you, he’s going to go down as the best Secretary of State in the country’s history. Marco Rubio, I don’t want him to get too popular,” Trump teased. “When they get too popular, all of a sudden, you see where’s Marco. He’s not around anymore. I don’t see him. He’s doing some job.”
Rubio, according to Trump, has “been doing a fantastic job on a place called Cuba,” which Trump claimed could face the same treatment as Iran, a reference to the joint U.S.-Israel strikes on the Middle Eastern nation.
The president also praised Attorney General Pam Bondi as a “terrific person” and several other Cabinet members, including the Treasury, Labor, and Transportation Secretaries.
“And [Bondi’s] proving how tough she is. And I think the next three years, she’s going to really prove it,” Trump said. “Secretary Scott Bessent, Lori Chavez-Deremer, and Sean Duffy, thank you, everybody. What a great team and U.S. Trade Representative, who’s done incredible deals, unbelievable Jamieson Greer, thank you, Jamieson.”
He did not heap any praise on Noem despite claiming she had “served us well” hours before the event.
Trump announced on Truth Social that Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) will replace Noem, who is taking on the title of “Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas,” starting on March 31.
It marks the most high-profile ouster of Trump’s second term so far. Trump previously reassigned Michael Waltz, who had previously served as national security adviser, as U.N. Ambassador.
Noem’s disastrous and combative congressional hearings this week were the final straw for an embattled secretary.
The president was particularly incensed that Noem told Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) that Trump signed off on a $220 million border security advertising campaign.
“I never knew anything about it,” Trump told Reuters Thursday morning, refuting Noem’s testimony.
Kennedy later told the Washington Examiner that Trump was “pissed” after the Senate hearing.
“The president and I talked to each other straight up and honestly. And he was pissed,” he said. “Let me put it this way — he wasn’t pissed at me.”
TRUMP OUSTS KRISTI NOEM AS DHS CHIEF AND TAPS MARKWAYNE MULLIN TO TAKE HER PLACE
Noem took to X to thank Trump for appointing her as the Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas.
David Sivak contributed to this report.
