How a $200M Ad Campaign Sparked Kristi Noem’s Exit from Trump's Inner Circle

Former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is facing media scrutiny over misusing funds for a series of government-backed ads for allegedly promoting deportation policies. These advertisements were displayed in airports, where Democrats were blamed for the government shutdown in 2025.  In a one-minute clip filmed near Mount Rushmore, Noem appeared in Western riding gear, on horseback through a pine forest, delivering a stark message on immigration: “You cross the border illegally, we’ll find you.” "Break our laws, and we’ll punish you. Harm American citizens, there will be consequences,” she added.  The ad was allegedly mimicked with a larger-than-life patriotic theme, featuring imagery of rockets launching and a golden wheat field, showcasing moments from Trump's second term.

Kristi Noem is out at DHS. Here's a TV commercial of her on a horse, filmed five months ago at Mount Rushmore, for an ad campaign that cost more than $200 million pic.twitter.com/U1RtvlYc4w

— Drew Harwell (@drewharwell) March 5, 2026

The backlash for the ad came just before Kristi Noem stepped down from her position and was reassigned to a new role as “Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas.”

President Donald Trump took to Truth Social last Thursday. He wrote, "Noem will be moving to be Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas, our new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere, we are announcing on Saturday in Doral, Florida.”

The South Dakota native is the first Cabinet secretary to leave the Trump administration during his term. Despite initially praising Noem as “very strong” on border security, Trump decided to replace her with Rep. Markwayne Mullin as his nominee for the role, who will officially take over after March 31.

The decision came after Kristi Noem was questioned by both Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill for two days, as lawmakers challenged her on the campaign’s cost and approval process.

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Republican Sen. John Kennedy questioned whether spending $220 million was appropriate when Americans are battling inflation and struggling to buy daily groceries.  'The president approved ahead of time you spending $220 million running TV ads across the country in which you are featured prominently?” Kennedy asked. “Yes, sir,” Noem responded, adding that the campaign did follow proper legal procedures. However, Trump later told NBC News that he was unaware of the ad campaign and “wasn’t thrilled” by it, creating conflicting statements. John Kennedy said the 79-year-old was “mad as a murder hornet” after knowing about the controversy around it.  Furthermore, the advert is part of a broader Department of Homeland Security (DHS) campaign that reportedly cost over $200 million. There were also reports of the mother of two spending on similar productions as the leader of the department. Meanwhile, Kriti Noem argued during her questioning that the ads were effective, to which Kennedy responded pointedly: “Well, they were effective in your name recognition.”

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Several Democratic lawmakers also questioned the former governor's conduct over her handling of immigration policies after two US citizens were shot by ICE agents in Minnesota in January 2026.  The deaths led to nationwide mass protests and immense media scrutiny, despite which Noem kept on defending the ICE agents and characterized the victims on news channels. According to AP News, Kristi Noem's 13-month tenure ultimately ended because she used federal funds the wrong way for the ad campaign, and was not transparent about leadership goals.  Moreover, the public backlash that came up after the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota added to the scrutiny. Online users further believed that Kristi Noem's alleged stubborn behavior and aggressive nature led to her being removed.