WASHINGTON — Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was forced out of the position, according to multiple news reports.
Bloomberg reported that President Trump met with Nielsen early Sunday evening and asked her to resign.
One former White House official told The Post that she was “no doubt” pushed out of the job, which she’s held since December 2017.
The president has become increasingly angry over the number of migrants from Central American countries coming over the southern US border, with many of them trying to apply for asylum in the United States.
Trump’s frustrations were placed on Nielsen’s head, the Washington Post reported.
Trump had already indicated that he was looking for “tougher” individuals to handle immigration. Last week, the president abruptly yanked the nomination of Ronald Vitiello, who was to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “We want to go in a tougher direction,” Trump said.
Nielsen hadn’t been told of the president’s decision, nor did she agree with it.
Knowing she was on thin ice Sunday, Nielsen went into the White House meeting thinking she might be fired, the Associated Press reported.
On Sunday night, after tweeting that Nielsen “will be leaving her position,” Trump again went on a Twitter rant over the migrant flows.
“Mexico must apprehend all illegals and not let them make the long march up to the United States, or we will have no other choice than to Close the Border and/or institute Tariffs,” Trump wrote. “Our Country is FULL!”