Top DHS Spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin Set to Depart Trump Administration

By Jim Mishler | Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 12:16 PM EST

Tricia McLaughlin, a top spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, is leaving the Trump administration, two department sources said.

McLaughlin, who serves as spokesperson for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, is expected to inform colleagues of her decision and will depart the agency next week. She has been one of the administration’s most visible defenders of its immigration enforcement policies, frequently appearing in national media interviews and responding to critics online during high-profile operations in cities including Chicago and Minneapolis.

McLaughlin, a former communications aide to Vivek Ramaswamy’s 2024 presidential campaign and to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, began planning her departure in December but delayed it as the department responded to several major actions, according to sources familiar with her exit.

During her tenure, McLaughlin often appeared on news outlets including Newsmax, CNN, CBS, and NPR, and on podcasts across the political spectrum. In an interview last month with the Cincinnati Enquirer, she emphasized the importance of messaging on immigration policy: “Media is so much of the battle, so to speak, on the immigration issue. So much of the debate is a [public relations] debate. It’s a PR war.”

Her portfolio extended beyond immigration to other DHS responsibilities, including Transportation Security Administration operations during a government shutdown, Coast Guard drug interdiction efforts in the Caribbean, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s response to major storms. McLaughlin previously served in the first Trump administration, working for Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and at the State Department on arms control matters.

Some Democrat politicians publicly criticized her during her tenure, but McLaughlin continued to receive public praise from President Donald Trump. After a December media interview, Trump described her as the “wonderful TRICIA MCLAUGHLIN,” adding, “Tricia really knows her ‘STUFF!’” On social media at the start of the year, she shared a meme reading, “Your boos mean nothing. I’ve seen what makes you cheer.”

It is not yet clear what her next professional move will be. Jim Mishler is a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director with decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.