Staff at the Department of Homeland Security have reportedly celebrated the removal of numerous framed "glamour shots" featuring former agency chief Kristi Noem from the halls of the DHS headquarters in Washington, D.C. According to a new report from The Washington Examiner, the photos, which had lined the workspace of Customs and Border Protection, were taken down even before Noem officially left office, following her firing by President Donald Trump on March 5.
Controversial Photo Gallery Sparks Employee Backlash
The photos were installed around January of last year, when Noem's staff redecorated by replacing pictures of rank-and-file federal agents with images of the former South Dakota governor. This move alarmed critics and led to widespread resentment among employees. "Every single picture had a picture of Noem, and it was such a turn off," an unnamed department official told the outlet. "People were snickering about it, like, 'Did you see the upgrade?' No leader that I know would have allowed that to happen."
Details of the Framed Photos
Among the framed photos was one depicting Noem standing between Border Patrol agents with a hand on each of their shoulders. Another showed her flying an airplane, while a third captured her driving an all-terrain vehicle while wearing a bulletproof vest and a pearl necklace. In a particularly striking image, four federal employees sitting next to Noem were out of focus, with Noem perfectly in focus and sporting an ICE ball cap featuring the agency's new logo.
Orchestration and Aftermath of Noem's Tenure
Sources suggest that Corey Lewandowski, a former special government employee at DHS, may have orchestrated the photo gallery. Lewandowski left the department alongside Noem, according to Politico. Another official noted that Noem may have been "so insulated" that she was oblivious to the growing resentment within the agency.
Noem's firing came after months of controversies, including a pair of scathing congressional hearings. She was subsequently named special envoy to The Shield of the Americas, a new and little-known security initiative. Markwayne Mullin, a former GOP senator from Oklahoma, was sworn in as her replacement on Tuesday.
Hope for Repair Under New Leadership
Some DHS employees now hope that Mullin can repair the agency's reputation, which was undermined by Noem's handling of issues such as the Minnesota immigration crackdown, her $200 million ad blitz, and her feuding with other departments. A senior official expressed optimism, stating, "Mullin has the opportunity to be like a prince or knight in shining armor as he comes riding over the hill and saves everybody from this freaking chaos. All he has to do, literally, is put things back in a normal order."
The Independent has reached out to DHS for comment on the matter, highlighting the ongoing scrutiny of the agency's internal dynamics and leadership transitions.
