Employees at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have reportedly celebrated the removal of framed photographs of former chief Kristi Noem from the agency's headquarters. The images, described by staff as 'glamour shots', were taken down following Noem's dismissal by President Donald Trump on March 5.
Noem was fired after months of controversies and two scathing congressional hearings. She has since been named special envoy to The Shield of the Americas, a little-known security initiative. Her replacement, former Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin, was sworn in on Tuesday.
According to sources cited by The Washington Examiner, upwards of ten framed photos of Noem were removed from the walls of her Customs and Border Protection workspace in Washington DC, even before she officially left office. The images had been installed around January, replacing pictures of rank-and-file federal agents.
One unnamed DHS official told the outlet: 'Every single picture had a picture of Noem, and it was such a turn off. People were snickering about it.' The official added that no respected leader would have allowed such self-promotion. Among the photos was one of Noem standing between Border Patrol agents with a hand on their shoulders, another showing her flying an aeroplane, and a third depicting her driving an all-terrain vehicle while wearing a bulletproof vest and a pearl necklace.
Some employees hope Mullin can restore the agency's reputation, which was damaged by Noem's handling of the Minnesota immigration crackdown, a $200 million ad blitz, and feuds with other departments. A senior official remarked that Mullin 'has the opportunity to be like a prince or knight in shining armor' and restore normal order.
