The week ended with states challenging global tariffs, the Homeland Security secretary’s resignation, and a February jobs decline.
Dante Belcher
Mar 9, 2026
Trump’s 59th week ended with resignations, lawsuits and updates to the economy. This comes after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stepped down from her position, becoming the first Cabinet-level secretary to leave the Trump administration during his second term. Trump later announced that Sen. Markwayne Mullin would replace Noem at the end of the month.
At the same time, more than 24 states sued the Trump administration after the president enacted additional tariffs despite a previous report from The Introspective detailing the Supreme Court ruling that Trump’s tariffs were illegal. This also comes as a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) found that the U.S. lost 92,000 jobs, raising implications as the trade war and economic uncertainty continue.
Kristi Noem, Tariffs, and Economy
Trump announced that Kristi Noem would be stepping down as Homeland Security Secretary in a Truth Social post, with Sen. Markwayne Mullin replacing Noem as the president appointed her to a new security operation for the Western Hemisphere.
“I am pleased to announce that the Highly Respected United States Senator from the Great State of Oklahoma, Markwayne Mullin, will become the United States Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), effective March 31, 2026,” he wrote.
“As the only Native American in the Senate, Markwayne is a fantastic advocate for our incredible Tribal Communities. Markwayne will work tirelessly to Keep our Border Secure, Stop Migrant Crime, Murderers, and other Criminals from illegally entering our Country, End the Scourge of Illegal Drugs and, MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN.”
In an X post, Noem thanked Trump for the new role and said she was “looking forward” to working with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“We have made historic accomplishments at the Department of Homeland Security to make America safe again: we delivered the MOST secure border in American history, 3 million illegal aliens have left the U.S., we have located 145,000 children, FEMA delivered disaster relief at a 100% faster rate, we ushered in the golden age of travel, saved the American taxpayer $13 billion and revitalized the U.S. Coast Guard,” she wrote.
As he still needs to be confirmed by the Senate, Mullin said he was “excited” about leading the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and that he was “ready to get started.”
“My focus is to keep the homeland secure,” he said.
This comes after Noem previously faced backlash over the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti—both U.S. citizens— in Minneapolis by federal agents, as anti-immigrant sentiment continues.
At the same time, more than 24 states — Oregon, Arizona, California, New York, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin — filed a lawsuit against Trump after he enacted additional tariffs despite a previous report from The Introspective detailing the Supreme Court ruling that Trump’s tariffs were illegal.
“As with his unlawful use of IEEPA, the president has once again exercised tariff authority that he does not have—involving a statute that does not authorize the tariffs he has imposed—to upend the constitutional order and bring chaos to the global economy,” read the lawsuit, referring to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a 1977 law allowing the president to declare a national emergency and regulate international commerce.
In a statement obtained by The Introspective, White House spokesperson Kush Desai said that the “administration will vigorously defend the President’s action in court.”
“The President is using his authority granted by Congress to address fundamental international payments problems and to deal with our country’s large and serious balance-of-payments deficits,” he said.
Meanwhile, a BLS report found that the U.S. lost 92,000 jobs in February, with the most reported losses in education, health care, manufacturing, transportation and government as the unemployment rate rose to 4.4%.
This comes after a previous report from The Introspective finding that companies announced more than 1.1 million layoffs last year—the highest number since the Great Recession.
The Introspective 
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