How Kristi Noem finally lost Trump — and her job

After a year of controversies,Kristi Noem's fatewas sealed over just a few days. It started with a heads-up from the Hill.

Sen. John Kennedy let the White House know Sunday that he was not going to go easy on the Homeland Security secretary when sheappeared before the Judiciary Committee. The Louisiana Republican planned to pepper Noem with tough questions about her agency's lavish spending on an advertising campaign that prominently showcased her.

Before cameras and a packed audience Tuesday, Kennedy eased into his line of questioning. Properly vetting people at the southern border isn't racist, right? Both Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement are needed to do that, are they not? Noem responded in the affirmative. "OK," Kennedy said. "I just wanted to get my congratulations on the record."

He then delivered on his plan, unleashing a series of questions about the $220 million ad campaign and how that squared with Noem's stated promise to root out waste from her agency.

He had to ask more than once whether Trump approved that spending spree before Noem provided a direct answer: "Mmhmm, yes."

A fateful answer

That response, it turned out, was the embattled Cabinet secretary's final straw. Kennedy got a call from Trump later that evening. The president, Kennedy told CNN, "was pissed."

"Her version and the president's version of whether the president, A) was informed and B) consented are decidedly different," Kennedy said. (Trumptold NBC NewsThursday that he hadn't known about the advertising campaign. "I wasn't thrilled with it," he said.)

It was in that same conversation with Kennedy that Trump floated an idea for a replacement: What did he think about his colleague in the Senate, Oklahoma'sMarkwayne Mullin?

"I told him I'm very fond of Markwayne," Kennedy recalled of their conversation. Even if he didn't like Mullin, a former mixed-martial arts fighter, he added: "I wouldn't say otherwise because he'd whoop my ass."

By Thursday, Trump had ruminated with other allies on Capitol Hill about replacing Noem, finally selecting Mullin for the job and announcing it in a midday social media post before the senator could even talk to his wife about the opportunity.

Minutes after Trump posted the news — including a new title for Noem as "Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas" — she was scheduled to step on a stage in Nashville to deliver preplanned remarks to a friendly audience of police officers at the Sergeant Benevolent Association Major Cities Conference.

Noem learned of her firing as she was arriving at the Nashville event, three sources familiar with the matter told CNN. Two of the sources said Trump called Noem directly to inform her of his decision.

Noem remained in the car for several minutes upon arrival at the conference, multiple local law enforcement officials present at the conference told CNN. She then got out of the car and went into the reception room where she met staffers who were present. While Noem was backstage waiting to give her speech, the news alert that she had been fired began to cross on staffers' phones.

Throughout her speech, Noem made no mention of her departure from the agency. In fact, some of her remarks indicated she had a forward-looking role at the department — though she did make some vague allusions to a new role Trump had selected her for focusing on drug trafficking.

Noem sent a memo to employees Thursday afternoon, describing her role as the "honor of my life."

'Kristi's drama'

In the end, it wasn't the killings ofRenee GoodandAlex Prettiin Minneapolis alone that cost Noem her job. Nor was it her immediate reaction to prematurely paint both the mom-of-three and the veterans' nurse aswannabe terroristsandaspiring cop killers. It wasn't the sexual relationship she allegedly had with her unpaid subordinate, Corey Lewandowski (both are married and have denied the relationship), the exorbitant spending on executive jets, or the public messaging from her agency which was riddled withWhite nationalist dog whistlesanderror-prone descriptionsof immigrants.

But each of those controversies accumulated — and then Noem dragged Trump's name into it.

After Tuesday, a White House official told CNN, it became clear that "it was time" for Noem to go.

"Replacing Kristi was based on the culmination of her many unfortunate leadership failures including the fallout in Minnesota, the ad campaign, the allegations of infidelity, the mismanagement of her staff, and her constant feuding with the heads of other agencies, including CBP and ICE," the official said.

They added: "Kristi's drama sadly overshadowed and distracted from the Administration's extremely popular immigration agenda, which will continue full force."

Lewandowski, who has long frustrated some top White House aides, is expected to depart with Noem.

In her post, Noem was charged with executing the president's signature campaign pledge: carrying out mass deportations. And her approach was flashy from the outset. She was photographed on ride alongs with ICE on immigration enforcement operations, filmed riding horseback at Mt. Rushmore for ads, and posing in front of a cell of detainees at El Salvador's mega prison after the US sent hundreds of Venezuelans there.

Trump often publicly praised her. But internally, her agency still faced tremendous pressure from the White House to deliver. Federal immigration authorities fell short of White House-imposed daily quotas of 3,000 arrests, even as the administration cast a wide net over who could be subject to arrest, including controversial sweeps in Democratic-led cities led by top Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino.

The aggressive — and at times, haphazard — approach fueled tensions within the department, according to officials. The first public rebuke appeared to come with White House border czar Tom Homan's deployment to Minnesota to resolve issues associated with the massive surge of federal agents for immigration enforcement.

But issues within the department extended beyond her handling of immigration. She alsotightened her gripon her department's purse strings, ordering that every contract and grant over $100,000 must cross her desk for approval — a move that Noem has frequently defended as intended to cut down on waste.

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Noem's cost controls led to a delay in monetary relief for areas decimated by natural disasters last summer — delays that echoed similar controversies during her tenure as South Dakota's governor.

Over the past year, Noem drove an aggressive overhaul of FEMA, the disaster relief agency within DHS she had vowed to dismantle, calling it bloated, partisan and ineffective.

During her tenure, FEMA lost many of its most experienced leaders and about a third of its permanent workforce, according to current and former officials. Noem and her team cut contracts, grants, training and travel — moves that, officials say, raised fears the agency would struggle to handle another major catastrophe.

'Long overdue'

Multiple Homeland Security officials expressed relief over Noem's ouster. While many were stunned by the president's announcement, some saw it as inevitable.

"I think it's long overdue. She wasn't qualified for the position from the beginning," a Homeland Security official told CNN.

Another Homeland Security official said Noem "paid the price" after what they alleged was her exploiting the role for personal gain.

The most anticipated change following her departure, officials said, is a steady hand at the helm of the department that had been wracked with firings and frequent reprimanding from Lewandowski.

Officials anticipate that immigration policies and priorities are largely expected to remain the same at the department. One Trump administration official told CNN her departure will likely serve as a reset for Homan, who was deployed to Minneapolis in response to Good and Pretti's killing and whose approach to immigration enforcement is more targeted. Homan and Noem have rarely spoken to each other in recent months, US officials told CNN.

"This signals the very welcome end of a totally needless, damaging petty ego civil war within DHS and a full reset for Tom Homan and an adult DHS secretary to build a unified team that will get President Trump's missions accomplished faster and better," a Trump administration official told CNN.

Inside FEMA, many employees — from high-ranking officials to rank-and-file staff — celebrated news of Noem's departure. Multiple staffers inside headquarters described audible cheers across the office when the news broke.

"The mood across headquarters is relief," one high-ranking FEMA official told CNN. "We haven't seen the morale this high in a while."

Her team imposed a culture of fear among FEMA staffers, officials said, polygraphing some in a hunt for leakers and abruptly removing others from their positions without explanation.

"She oversaw the complete destruction of the agency, forced the resignation of some of the brightest minds and most experienced people in emergency management, ignored every one of the hard learned lessons from Katrina and put us in a place where we are no longer well prepared to help people before, during or after disasters," another high-ranking FEMA official said. "It will take decades to fix the damage she has caused."

Trump picks a fighter

In Mullin, Trump has selected a reliable champion of his immigration agenda whom the White House says should be confirmed "as quickly as possible." The Oklahoma senator will inherit an agency that is expected to define both Trump's legacy and his own.

Shortly after Trump announced his intention to have Mullin serve as Homeland Security secretary, Mullin said his focus would be to "keep the homeland secure."

"There's a lot of work we can do to get the Department of Homeland Security working for the American people," Mullin said.

Mullin has suggested that children born in the US to undocumented immigrants should be deported with their parents so as not to be separated. He has said that people should be expected to carry their papers in case they are stopped by immigration officers. He defended immigration officers' actions in the incidents that led to the deaths of both Good and Pretti.

But his and Trump's alignment on one specific issue – the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, has been more tenuous. During the attack, Mullin, who was serving in the House at the time, helped to barricade the doors to the House floor and later said he threatened to physically engage any rioters who broke through.

As Trump was mulling the possibility of pardoning those rioters after his election, Mullin urged him on CNN to "look at the facts before he does something," and after Trump did pardon them, the Oklahoma senator said there was "no question" the siege of the Capitol was a "riot" and a "horrible day."

"However," he said, by electing Trump, Americans have chosen to "move on."

It's unclear how Noem will move on. But some Republicans in the Senate are relishing the chance to turn over a new leaf.

After Mullin's new position was announced, Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, an animal lover who during this week's hearing sparred with Noem overadmissions in her 2024 memoirthat she shot her misbehaving puppy, shared a picture of Mullin's family to social media, saying the senator "is a great guy and a great choice to lead DHS."

"Another big positive: he likes dogs," Tillis wrote.

CNN's Kristen Holmes and John Miller contributed.

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byAlpha World

in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

March 06, 2026

How Kristi Noem finally lost Trump — and her job

After a year of controversies,Kristi Noem's fatewas sealed over just a few days. It started with a heads-up from the ...

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Pakistani, Afghan border forces clash as UN says war displaces 100,000

By Mohammad Yunus Yawar

Displaced Afghans take refuge following exchanges of fire between Pakistani and Afghan forces at a border crossing, in Lal Pur

KABUL, March 6 (Reuters) - Pakistani and Afghan troops exchanged fire at dozens of points along their border on Friday as the U.N. said their week-old conflict has forced the displacement of more than 100,000 people.

The ‌South Asian nations show no signs of rapprochement in their worst fighting in years, adding to the volatility in ‌a region also contending with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran - a nation that borders both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Combat has included Pakistani air strikes on Taliban government installations, ​such as the Bagram air base north of the Afghan capital Kabul.

HOMES SHELLED DURING RAMADAN MEALS

Afghanistan's Ministry of Defense said Taliban forces struck Pakistani military installations along the 2,600-km (1,600-mile) border, destroying numerous posts and shooting down a drone.

Pakistani security sources said they carried out ground and air operations against military targets including Kandahar, the heartland of the Taliban and where its core leadership resides, and destroyed several Afghan border posts.

Dozens ‌gathered in Kabul on Friday to protest Pakistan's ⁠attacks on Afghan territory, chanting anti-Pakistan slogans, a witness said, while the Bakhter news agency said a large gathering in Laghman Province demonstrated against Pakistan's recent attacks.

People living in border towns have told Reuters that ⁠troops begin exchanging heavy shelling after sunset, placing homes in the firing line just as families sit down to break their fast in the holy month of Ramadan.

Several said relatives and neighbours have fled.

"The situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan remains tense amid active conflict along the border," the United ​Nations ​refugee agency said, adding that some 115,000 people in Afghanistan and 3,000 in ​Pakistan were thought to have fled their homes.

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Several countries ‌have offered to negotiate a truce, most recently Turkey, although the Iran war has diverted the attention of most Gulf states that had stepped forward.

'NOTHING TO TALK ABOUT'

Pakistani government spokesperson Mosharraf Zaidi said no negotiations were taking place to end the conflict.

"There is nothing to talk about. There will be no dialogue and no negotiations," he told state-owned Pakistan TV. "Terrorism from Afghanistan has to end - that is Afghanistan's problem. Pakistan's responsibility is to protect its citizens."

The conflict began last week with Pakistani air strikes inside Afghanistan that Islamabad said targeted ‌militant strongholds. Afghanistan called the strikes a violation of sovereignty and announced retaliatory ​operations.

Islamabad has said Kabul provides safe haven to militants executing attacks on Pakistan ​from its soil. The Taliban has denied aiding such groups ​and said militancy in Pakistan is an internal problem.

On Friday, the Taliban's defence ministry said it had ‌also struck a military base in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan ​province. Reuters could not verify the ​strike, and Pakistan's military has not reported any damage in the region.

Both sides have regularly said they inflicted heavy damage on the other and killed hundreds of opposition troops, without providing evidence. Reuters has not been able to verify the reports.

The ​U.N. mission in Afghanistan has said 56 civilians ‌have been killed in the country and 128 wounded since fighting began. The Taliban government has said 110 civilians have ​been killed.

Pakistan has rejected both sets of figures, saying it targets only militants and support infrastructure.

(Reporting by Mohammad Yunus ​Yawar in Kabul; Writing by Saad Sayeed; Editing by William Mallard)

byAlpha World

in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

March 06, 2026

Pakistani, Afghan border forces clash as UN says war displaces 100,000

By Mohammad Yunus Yawar Displaced Afghans take refuge following exchanges of fire between Pakistani and Afg...

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Bank employees detained and cash seized in Hungary, Ukraine says

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Ukraine's foreign minister accused Hungarian authorities of taking seven Ukrainian employees of a state-owned bank hostage and illegally seizing a cash shipment that was traveling in a convoy across Hungary.

In a post on X late Thursday, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote that the well-being of the seven Ukrainians — employees of the state-owned Oschadbank traveling in two armored cars between Austria and Ukraine — was unknown.

The armored cars were carrying cash as part of regular services between state banks, Sybiha wrote.

In a separate statement, Oschadbank wrote that $40 million in American currency, as well as 35 million euros and 9 kilograms (19.8 pounds) of gold had been apprehended by Hungary.

GPS data showed the vehicles were in the center of Budapest near one of Hungary's law enforcement agencies, but that the location of the bank employees remained unknown, the bank wrote.

Hungary's Interior Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The incident further inflamed tensions between Hungary and Ukraine, which are embroiled in abitter feudover Hungary's access to Russian oil through a pipeline that crosses Ukrainian territory.

Oil shipments through the Druzhba pipeline have been interrupted since Jan. 27. Ukraine says a Russian drone strike damaged the pipeline's infrastructure, and that repairing it carried risks to technicians and that even if restored, it would remain vulnerable to further Russian attacks.

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Hungary's government, however, has accused Ukraine of deliberately holding up supplies of Russian crude, and has vowed to take countermeasures against Kyiv until oil flows resume.

Hungary, along with neighboring Slovakia, have defied European Union efforts to wean off of Russian fossil fuels, and continued to purchase them despite Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Without mentioning them directly, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán alluded to the detention of the bank vehicles in statements to state radio Friday, saying: "We will stop things that are important to Ukraine passing through Hungary until we get the approval of the Ukrainians for oil shipments."

Orbán, who has maintained close relations with the Kremlin while escalating anaggressive anti-Ukraine campaignahead of crucial elections next month, previously ceased diesel shipments to Ukraine, vetoed a new round of EU sanctions against Russia andblocked a major, 90-billion-euro ($106-billion) loanfor Kyiv in retaliation for the interruption in oil shipments.

He's alsodeployed military forcesto key energy infrastructure sites across Hungary, accusing Ukraine of plotting disruptions.

On Thursday, Orbán told an economic forum that Hungary would use "force," including "political and financial tools," to compel Ukraine to resume oil shipments.

On his post on X, the Ukrainian foreign minister took issue with Orbán's comments, writing: "We are talking about Hungary taking hostages and stealing money."

"If this is the 'force' announced earlier today by Mr. Orban, then this is a force of a criminal gang," Sybiha wrote. "This is state terrorism and racketeering."

Sybiha added that Ukraine would take the matter up with the EU to clarify Hungary's actions.

byAlpha World

in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

March 06, 2026

Bank employees detained and cash seized in Hungary, Ukraine says

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Ukraine's foreign minister accused Hungarian authorities of taking seven Ukrainian employees...

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John Carlson trade grades: Who won Capitals-Ducks deal?

TheWashington Capitalstraded longtime defenseman John Carlson to theAnaheim Ducksearly Friday morning in one of the surprise moves of theNHL trade deadline. At least on the surface.

Carlson, 36, has been a career Capital, appearing in 1,143 games for the franchise over 17 seasons after he was selected with the 27th overall pick in the 2008 NHL Draft. He owns basically every major franchise record for a defenseman — games played, goals (166), assists (605) and points (771) — and was a key component of the franchise's breakthrough Stanley Cup win in 2018. He finished in the top five in Norris Trophy voting three times, including a runner-up finish in 2019-20.

"Since joining our organization 17 years ago, John Carlson has exemplified what it means to be a Washington Capital every day," Capitals GM Chris Patricksaid in a statement. "John's determination, leadership, persistence and skill helped our franchise reach new heights and cemented him as a cornerstone and one of the greatest players in Capitals history. His contributions to our organization and the Washington, D.C., community both on and off the ice have been immeasurable.

"We are incredibly grateful for everything John has given to our team and wish him and his family nothing but the best moving forward with Anaheim."

So ... who won the deal?

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Capitals trade grade: A-

Sentimentality aside, getting a first-round pick — either this summer if the Ducks make the playoffs or next year — and third-round pick for a 36-year-old defenseman who will be a free agent this summer is a tidy bit of business. The Capitals are just four points out of the playoffs, but they are tied for the most games played in the conference. They made a shrewd decision to throw in the towel in what seems to be a seller's market, earlier on Thursday trading another veteran in Nic Dowd.

The Capitals now have 22 picks in the next three NHL drafts and clearly have their eyes on the future ... which could also see franchise icon Alex Ovechkin depart this summer with the 40-year-old's contract set to expire. A trade of a franchise icon is never fun, but this move helps set the Capitals up for more winning down the road.

Feb. 4: The Los Angeles Kings acquired left wing Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers in exchange for forward Liam Greentree and conditional third-round (2026) and fourth-round (2028) picks.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jan. 27: The New York Islanders acquired left wing Ondrej Palat, a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for forward Maxim Tsyplakov.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jan. 20: The San Jose Sharks acquire forward Kiefer Sherwood from the Vancouver Canucks for second-round picks in 2026 and 2027, plus defenseman Cole Clayton.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jan. 16: The Anaheim Ducks acquire winger Jeffrey Viel from the Boston Bruins for a 2026 fourth-round pick. Anaheim will give up the better of the fourth-rounder previously acquired from Philadelphia and Detroit.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jan. 8: The San Jose Sharks acquire goaltender Laurent Brossoit, defenseman Nolan Allan and a 2028 seventh-round pick from the Chicago Blackhawks for defensemen Ryan Ellis, Jake Furlong and a 2028 fourth-rounder.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Dec. 29: The Pittsburgh Penguins acquire forward Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets for forward Danton Heinen, a 2026 second-round draft pick and a 2027 third-rounder.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Dec. 12: The Minnesota Wild acquired Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks for Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, Liam Ohgren and a 2026 first-round pick.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Dec. 12: The Edmonton Oilers acquired Tristan Jarry and Samuel Poulin from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Stuart Skinner, Brett Kulak and a 2029 second-round pick.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

NHL trade tracker: Who changed teams in 2025-26

Ducks trade grade: B+

This trade feels very much like a win-win as the Ducks are adding a defenseman who can still get it done, particularly on the offensive end. Carlson has been quite productive again this season, scoring 10 goals and dishing 36 assists for 46 points in 55 games. He carries a plus-11 rating.

He also brings loads of playoff experience for a team that hasn't played spring hockey in a while, having appeared in 137 postseason contests, winning the Stanley Cup in 2018. That's the last year the Ducks made the playoffs. Maybe you'd like to keep your first-round pick, but getting a player like Carlson comes at a price; plus, Anaheim is already oozing with young talent thanks to its years in the wilderness.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:John Carlson trade grades for Capitals-Ducks deal

byAlpha World

in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

March 06, 2026

John Carlson trade grades: Who won Capitals-Ducks deal?

TheWashington Capitalstraded longtime defenseman John Carlson to theAnaheim Ducksearly Friday morning in one of the surpr...

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LeBron James injury update: Lakers star hurts elbow in hard fall

Anotherrecord-setting night for LeBron Jamesended painfully, as he hurt his elbow in a hard fall during the fourth quarter of theLos Angeles Lakers' game against theDenver Nuggets.

James drove and hit a layup with just over 4 minutes to go, but he came down hard and immediately grasped at his elbow. TheAmazon Prime cameras captured James saying"elbow" and using some NSFW language as he was checked on.

Jaxson Hayes subbed in for James after the ensuing timeout and James received treatment from trainers while sitting on the bench, working his elbow area.

James' basket had cut the Lakers' deficit to 110-106 late. He returned to the court about two minutes later, with 2:05 on the clock and the Lakers trailing 112-111. James was removed for good with 22.3 seconds left

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The Nuggets held on to win, 120-113.

ESPN's Dave McMenamin, relaying what Lakers coach JJ Redick said after the contest, reported that James was "icing his left elbow after the game and that he was experiencing enough discomfort that it caused him to be unable to finish the game."

Earlier in the contest, James broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's NBA record for most made field goals.

Oct. 26: The Brooklyn Nets' Michael Porter Jr. dunks in front of the San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama at Frost Bank Center.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:LeBron James injury update, why he left Lakers-Nuggets game in 4th

byAlpha World

in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

March 06, 2026

LeBron James injury update: Lakers star hurts elbow in hard fall

Anotherrecord-setting night for LeBron Jamesended painfully, as he hurt his elbow in a hard fall during the fourth quarte...

Read More