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Her exit comes at a precarious time for DHS. The department is currently dealing with a funding lapse while lawmakers argue over proposed changes to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. As of now, DHS has not announced who will take over communications responsibilities once McLaughlin departs.
Before joining DHS, McLaughlin built a resume steeped in Republican politics. She previously served as a communications aide to Vivek Ramaswamy during his 2024 presidential bid and worked for Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. Sources say she had planned to leave DHS as early as December but delayed her exit following the shootings involving Renee Good and Alex Pretti, events that triggered heightened scrutiny of the department’s response.
Behind closed doors, tensions reportedly escalated. Some administration officials privately questioned Secretary Noem’s leadership as DHS faced negative press, particularly criticism suggesting the department moved too quickly in publicly characterizing the fatal shootings. In response, President Trump appointed border czar Tom Homan to oversee operations in Minneapolis—a move some insiders viewed as an effort to stabilize enforcement strategy and messaging.
After Noem, McLaughlin was widely regarded as one of the most effective communicators advancing the administration’s immigration agenda. At the height of her tenure, the former ABC News contributor was reportedly making as many as five television appearances per day. She spoke across the media landscape, appearing on Fox News, CNN, CBS News, NPR, and Newsmax, along with numerous podcasts.
“Media is so much of the battle, so to speak, on the immigration issue,” McLaughlin told the Cincinnati Enquirer last month. “So much of the debate is a [public relations] debate. It’s a PR war.”
That constant pressure, colleagues say, took a personal toll.
What comes next for McLaughlin remains an open question. When asked whether she might consider running for office if she returned to Cincinnati, McLaughlin—who is married to GOP consultant Ben Yoho—said she “wouldn’t rule anything out.”
While immigration dominated headlines, McLaughlin also managed messaging on a wide range of DHS responsibilities. Her portfolio included Transportation Security Administration disruptions during the government shutdown, United States Coast Guard drug interdictions in the Caribbean, and Federal Emergency Management Agency responses to major storms.
Her DHS role followed earlier service in the first Trump administration, where she worked under Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and later at the United States Department of State on arms control policy—cementing her reputation as a seasoned and battle-tested communicator in Washington’s political wars.
