Former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem‘s recent ousting seems to have lifted the spirits of several employees. DHS reportedly celebrated her firing by taking down her photos from the halls of the agency’s headquarters. The staff were apparently displeased with Noem’s tenure, and responded by pulling off such a move, even before the politician had officially left office.
DHS staff reportedly celebrate Kristi Noem’s photo removal
According to a recent report published by The Washington Examiner, DHS staff members commemorated Kristi Noem’s departure from office by taking down more than 10 pictures of the former South Dakota governor from her Customs and Border Protection workspace.
Noem’s team had originally installed the photos in January 2025, shortly after the Republican’s appointment. Moreover, her staff was able to arrange the pictures only after removing the portraits of several rank‑and‑file federal agents.
Explaining the sentiment behind the DHS staff’s decision to do away with Noem’s photos, an unidentified department official noted, “Every single picture had a picture of Noem, and it was such a turn-off. People were snickering about it, like, ‘Did you see the upgrade?’ 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, ‘What were you thinking?'”
One of the removed pictures featured Noem standing between Border Patrol agents while her arms rested on each of their shoulders. Another image showcased the 54-year-old politician riding an all-terrain vehicle, wearing a bulletproof jacket as well as a pearl necklace. A third photo simply highlighted Kristi Noem flying an airplane.
“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’s new logo,” The Washington Examiner reported while explaining yet another removed photo.
Notably, Donald Trump fired Noem from her DHS post on March 5 and instead named her as a special envoy to The Shield of the Americas. The president also confirmed that Markwayne Mullin will succeed Noem on the same day.
