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Trump, who said he would nominate Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin in her place, made the announcement on social media after Noem faced a two-day grilling on Capitol Hill this week from GOP members as well as Democrats.

Noem's departure marks a stunning turnaround for a close ally to the president who was tasked with steering his centerpiece policy of mass deportations. But she appeared to increasingly become a liability for Trump, with questions arising over her spending at her department and over her conduct in the aftermath of the shooting deaths of two protesters in Minneapolis earlier this year.

Trump said Noem "served us well, and has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!)." He said he was making her a "Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas," a new security initiative that he said would focus on the Western Hemisphere.

Noem, who appeared at a law enforcement event in Nashville, Tennessee, moments after Trump's announcement, did not address her ouster there. She read from prepared remarks and was not asked by attendees about the development.

Later, in a social media post, she thanked Trump for the new appointment and touted her accomplishments as secretary.

"We have made historic accomplishments at the Department of Homeland Security to make America safe again," she wrote.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration will work with the GOP-led Senate to get Mullin, whom she called "extraordinarily qualified," confirmed to lead DHS "as soon as possible."

Immigration crackdown faced criticism, especially in Minnesota

Noem is the first Cabinet secretary to leave during Trump's second term. Her tenure looked increasingly short-lived after hearings in Congress this week where she faced rare but blistering criticism from Republican lawmakers. One particular point of scrutiny was a $220 million ad campaign featuring Noem that encouraged people in the country illegally to leave voluntarily.

Noem told lawmakers that Trump was aware of the campaign in advance, but Trump disputed that in an interview Thursday with Reuters, saying he did not sign off on the ad campaign.

Noem faced waves of criticism as she's overseen Trump's immigration crackdown, especially since immigration enforcement officers shot and killed two protesters in Minneapolis. The former South Dakota governor also was criticized over the way her department spent billions of dollars allocated to it by Congress.

Her department, DHS, was at the center of a funding battle in Congress over immigration enforcement tactics and has been shut down for 20 days, though many of the employees are continuing to work, often without pay.

Even before Noem's appearance before key congressional committees this week, Republican lawmakers anticipated the secretary's eventual ouster, particularly after her handling of the immigration enforcement crackdown in Minneapolis.

As they tried to end the ongoing Homeland Security shutdown, Senate Republicans noted privately to Democratic senators that Noem was likely on her way out and that should prompt Democrats to move forward with agreeing to fund the department again, according to two people familiar with the discussions.

Democrats did not see that as an actual concession by Republicans, considering Noem became a political liability for the GOP, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private negotiations.

Aside from immigration, Noem also faced criticism — including from Republicans — over the pace of emergency funding approved through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and for the Trump administration's response to disasters.

Critics welcomed Noem's departure. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey wrote "good riddance" on social media, a sentiment echoed by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.

Some immigration activists questioned whether her departure would change the execution of an immigration agenda that they fundamentally disagree with.

"This is not accountability, just a reshuffling of the enablers of the agenda of President Trump," said Vanessa Cárdenas, Executive Director of America's Voice, an advocacy group. She said Noem's tenure was "marked by cruelty."

Gregory Bovino, a Border Patrol official who was elevated under Noem's watch to lead immigration crackdowns in cities including Los Angeles, Chicago and Minneapolis, was one of the few who applauded Noem's tenure.

"She is the best Secretary I ever worked for, period. The others weren't even close. Noem is the ultimate patriot," Bovino told The Associated Press.

DHS leadership changes come at a pivotal time

Mullin would need to be confirmed by the Senate, but under a federal law governing executive branch vacancies, he would be allowed to serve as an acting Homeland Security secretary as long as his nomination is formally pending.

Voting in the Senate just after Trump's announcement, Mullin said he has "no idea" how quickly his nomination will move.

"The president and I are good friends. So we look forward to working closer with the White House, and obviously I'm gonna be over there a lot more," he said.

Mullin would take over the third-largest department in government that has responsibility for carrying out Trump's hard-line immigration agenda, assuming the role at a pivotal time for that agenda.

Immigration enforcement during the first year of Trump's administration was largely defined by high-profile, made-for-social-media operations with flashy names, often led by Bovino, who reported directly to Noem. Noem often went out on those operations, riding along with officers when they went out to make arrests.

Those operations in places like Los Angeles, Chicago and Minneapolis often led to clashes with activists and protesters that were captured on video and drove opposition to the president's immigration agenda.

That culminated with the shooting deaths in Minneapolis after which Trump shuffled leadership of the operation. The number of officers there was drawn down shortly after.

Democrats grill Noem on tactics, characterizations 

During both days of testimony this week, Noem was repeatedly made to answer for her characterization of the two killed protesters, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, as armed agitators. Bystanders' video and accounts contradicted Noem’s depiction of events.

The top Democrat on the House committee, Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, pushed Noem about her comments.

“You told a lie about them. You said they were domestic terrorists,” Raskin said.

Other Democrats questioned why DHS officers used force to yank people out of vehicles or why they’d pulled an American citizen from his Minneapolis home in his pajamas.

Noem also faced criticism from some Republicans, including most notably retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who on Tuesday called her leadership a “disaster.”

Over the two days, Noem pushed back on the allegations, saying that Democrats didn’t have their facts correct and defended how her officers operate.

“We do targeted enforcement based on intelligence and go after the worst of the worst,” Noem said.

Speaking Tuesday of her comments after the shootings, Noem said she relied on information from people on the scene and blamed “violent protesters” for contributing to the chaos officers encountered.

Lawmakers question whether Noem obstructed watchdog investigations

In the letter obtained by The Associated Press, Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph Cuffari said DHS leadership has “systematically obstructed” the office's work in 11 instances, including one criminal investigation with a “nexus” to the department.

Cuffari said his department was not allowed to access databases or take other steps that were necessary for their investigations.

Democratic Rep. Hank Johnson of Georgia asked Noem about the letter, saying her department had a “pattern of obstructing investigations.”

Noem denied the accusation and said Cuffari hadn’t outlined what information he wanted and the timeline for his request.

“He wants unfettered access to every single thing in the department. And that’s not the process,” Noem said.

DHS under scrutiny over spending

Noem's department was infused with $170 billion, money granted by Congress that since sparked questions over where and how it is being spent.

The secretary was asked Wednesday about her department’s decision to carry out a $220 million ad campaign featuring Noem that encouraged people in the country illegally to leave voluntarily.

Democrats questioned whether the contracts went through a competitive bidding process and whether Noem’s associates unfairly benefited from the process.

“You’re using millions of dollars of taxpayer money in this way,” said Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse, who called it fraud. “Ultimately I think there’s going to be accountability.”

Noem said the spending was carried out lawfully.

The top Democrat on the committee also hammered Noem over her department’s purchase of luxury jets.

Noem defends use of administrative warrants

The Associated Press reported this year that federal officers asserted sweeping power to forcibly enter a suspect's home without a judge's warrant — something legal experts say infringes on constitutional rights.

Noem on both days said the warrants were appropriate and legal. She said their use in forcible entry was limited, saying that they were only used 28 times under her authority, without saying where they were used.

“We do use it, but it’s very rare when we do,” Noem said.

But the warrants' use received pushback even from Republicans. Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky said he’s a “strong proponent of the Fourth Amendment, and I think it would be helpful if we stuck to that.”

Questions about top Noem adviser's role

Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, a Democrat from California, asked Noem about her relationship with Corey Lewandowski, a special government employee who is one of the secretary's top advisers.

Lewandowski was Trump’s first campaign manager in 2016 and was long one of his most vocal supporters. He later became a key Noem supporter, helping her gain access to the former president’s political orbit.

When Noem took the position at DHS, Lewandowski became a special government employee — a position that is supposed to limit the number of days that he’s allowed to work at the department. He’s been a constant presence at Noem's side, raising questions about how many days he's actually working and about the nature of the pair's relationship.

Kamlager-Dove said Lewandowski wields “unchecked” and “unconfirmed” power and asked whether Noem and Lewandowski were having an affair.

“At any time during your tenure as director of the Department of Homeland Security have you had sexual relations with Corey Lewandowski?” said Kamlager-Dove.

“Mr. Chairman, I am shocked that we are going down and peddling tabloid garbage in this committee today,” Noem said. She denied the allegations, calling the questioning offensive and said Lewandowski does not have decision-making authority.

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Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed.