Former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem thanked President Donald Trump on Saturday for appointing her to a new diplomatic role after she was removed from leading the agency.
Speaking at the Shield of the Americas summit held at Trump National Doral, Noem expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve as the newly created special envoy for the initiative, which focuses on regional cooperation across the Western Hemisphere.
“I do want to thank the president for creating this and for giving me the honor and the opportunity to serve as a special envoy to this region,” Noem said during the event. “This Shield of the Americas will be a powerful example to the rest of the world about what’s possible.”
Trump announced earlier in the week that Noem would shift to the envoy position after her tenure at DHS was cut short following a series of controversies and tense congressional hearings.
Despite the circumstances of her departure, Noem said she was proud of the work accomplished during her time overseeing homeland security and immigration enforcement.
“In the last year as secretary of Homeland Security, we focused on securing our border,” she said. “We have transformed our country from one that was being invaded by enemies into one that is secure.”
Noem said more than three million people had been deported or removed from the United States during the past year as part of the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts.
She also argued that strengthening border security has allowed the United States to expand cooperation with neighboring countries on regional security issues.
“Secure borders has changed everything for our country,” Noem said. “Now that America is secure, we want to help our neighbors address their own border challenges so they can enjoy the same safety and stability.”
Trump has nominated Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace Noem as head of DHS, with the transition expected to take effect at the end of March.
Several senior administration officials attended the summit, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
