Kristi Noem's Loyal Staffers Axed After She Was Ousted From Homeland Security Position

Following Kristi Noem’s axing from her position as Secretary of Homeland Security, several of her loyal staffers were also suddenly fired.

Three of Noem’s DHS aides — former deputy chief of staff Troup Hemenway, Josh King and Octavian Miller — were put on paid leave after Noem was fired by President Donald Trump, who then appointed her to the newly created role of special envoy for the "Shield of the Americas," according to the New York Post.

Sources indicate they were removed because of their ties to senior aide Corey Lewandowski, with whom Noem is rumored to have been engaged in a years-long extramarital affair.

Officials reportedly wanted to remove any connections to Lewandowski, who was also fired from his unpaid position at DHS, and distance the department from the drama of Noem's tenure.

“They didn’t want any people that would be tentacles for Lewandowski,” the source said.

These staffers were allegedly told they were "not welcome" at their new posts, while other staffers who followed Noem were allowed to remain.

“We’re going to help you for a little bit, but you’re obviously not welcome,” the source said department officials told them.

The staffer removals were the final chapter in Noem's abrupt exit from the Cabinet.

Trump fired Noem as DHS Secretary in March after disastrous congressional testimony and backlash over aggressive immigration tactics and a $220 million ad campaign.

After her ouster, she was moved to a "soft landing" position as a special envoy for the so-called "Shield of the Americas" at the State Department, a role insiders believe will also be short-lived.

“This post was intended as a soft landing so it didn’t look like Noem was immediately being fired,” sources told Daily Mail.

Sources say her State Department position is unwelcome and that many administration officials view it as ephemeral.

“But no one really thinks she should have this job. The State Department was not happy to have her here, and the understanding is that she’s not going to be here for much longer,” the source told Daily Mail.

During her time at DHS, Noem and her alleged lover Lewandowski notably terminated hundreds of probationary employees in February 2025 and fired several FEMA employees in late 2025 for misconduct, including "consuming p----graphic content" on government devices.

Noem has most recently been embroiled in a domestic scandal in which her husband, Bryon, led a secret double life involving cross-dressing, a "bimbofication" f----- and explicit online chats with models.

He allegedly spent thousands on these interactions, leaving the family "devastated.”