State Department says Noem is no longer serving as Trump's special envoy to Shield of the Americas

The Shield of the Americas is a coalition made up of the United States and multiple Caribbean and Latin American countries that was established to cooperate on economic matters, anti-cartel enforcement and other issues.

Published: October 15, 2026 6:25pm

A State Department spokesperson confirmed Thursday that former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is no longer serving as President Donald Trump's special envoy for the Shield of the Americas initiative, but she is still serving in the administration.

The president replaced Noem as DHS secretary in March, tapping Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin in the role instead. Noem was tapped as special envoy for Shield of the Americas, which is a security initiative in the Western hemisphere.

The State Department official told CBS News that Noem is still involved in the administration's efforts to coordinate security cooperation across the Western Hemisphere and her designation expired shortly before the United Nations' General Assembly last month. 

"Kristi Noem's envoy status expired last month and she is no longer in the role," the State Department official said. "She is now a senior advisor to Deputy Secretary [of State Christopher] Landau and continues to work on the Shield of the Americas portfolio." 

The Shield of the Americas is a coalition made up of the United States and multiple Caribbean and Latin American countries that was established to cooperate on economic matters, anti-cartel enforcement and other issues.

Noem has not been as prominent in the administration since departing the Cabinet position, but she held a meeting with Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, held discussions with Ecuadorian and Colombian diplomats in Washington in September, and participated in meetings with regional leaders on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. 

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage. 

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