After meeting with President Trump, Kirstjen Nielsen has resigned from the Department of Homeland Security. Her tenure has been a rocky one and she never seemed to get a real handle on the job.
Trump said on Twitter that Kevin McAleenan, the current commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, will take over as acting homeland security secretary. Trump would love to nominate Kris Kobach as the new chief but he would have to speak to McConnell to make sure enough GOP Senators will vote for confirmation.
They could only survive if 3 or fewer Senators defect, which the cowardly ones certainly would.
The announcement came shortly after Nielsen met with Trump privately at the White House to discuss her future.
Trump and Nielsen have battled behind the scenes over the administration’s immigration policy and efforts to build a wall on the southern border. That tension reached its breaking point in the days after Trump abruptly pulled the nomination of Ronald Vitiello to head U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen will be leaving her position, and I would like to thank her for her service….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 7, 2019
Trump said he wanted to go with someone “tougher” for the position. Vitiello reportedly opposed Trump’s threats to close off the southern border.
Trump has also reportedly blamed Nielsen for a spike in apprehensions at the border of migrant families trying to enter the U.S. illegally.
Nielsen has been in the administration since Trump’s inauguration, first serving as chief of staff to John Kelly, the first homeland security secretary. Nielsen served as Kelly’s deputy when he joined the White House as chief of staff.
She was confirmed as DHS secretary on Dec. 6, 2017.