Senator Markwayne Mullin (R., Okla.), President Trump's pending pick to replace the outgoing secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, wants Troy Edgar to serve as deputy secretary of the department under his tenure, National Review has learned.
Edgar served as the ninth deputy secretary of DHS under Noem and was tapped by Trump in December to serve as U.S. ambassador to El Salvador. His nomination was reported by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee earlier this month and now sits on the executive calendar.
As deputy secretary of homeland security during Trump's second term, Edgar managed the department's daily operations, staff, and multibillion-dollar budget under Noem, whose tumultuous tenure is now ending after a year of infighting and controversy surrounding DHS contracts.
Should Edgar serve under Mullin, who is expected to be confirmed as Noem’s replacement soon, he would be a familiar face atop DHS at a time of major staffing changes. Noem is reportedly taking many of her top staffers to the State Department to serve under her new role as special envoy for the Shield of the Americas. Noem allies who are expected to follow the outgoing secretary include Joseph Mazzara, Joe Guy, and Troup Hemenway, Politico reported.
A spokesperson for Mullin did not respond to National Review’s press inquiry. Pressed for comment, a White House official said that "the administration has no DHS-related personnel announcements to share at this time."
A U.S. Navy veteran, Edgar previously served as mayor of Los Alamitos, Calif., and as the homeland security department's chief financial officer during Trump's first term. His time in government follows a long career in business, including stints at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Boeing. He was also the founder, president, and CEO of the management consulting firm Global Conductor, as well as the CEO of the Global Conductor Construction Corporation, an engineering and construction company.
Edgar has publicly praised Noem's leadership of DHS. "Under Mr. Trump's and Ms. Noem's leadership, we have taken immediate action to address the misuse of funds, established controls and ensured accountability," Edgar wrote in a Washington Times opinion editorial in November, titled "How Kristi Noem's Leadership Saved America."
"We are introducing innovative solutions to some of America's most challenging national security issues," he added. "As fiscal stewards of your resources, we are committed to delivering for the American people."
Noem — who spent her year atop the department privately tangling with other senior DHS officials, such as border czar Tom Homan and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott — has also publicly praised Edgar's leadership. Following Trump's decision to tap Edgar as U.S. ambassador to El Salvador late last year, Noem congratulated her deputy secretary and said he was "amazing to work with."
Senate Majority Leader John Thune filed cloture on Mullin's nomination to lead DHS, meaning that the Senate is expected to vote on his confirmation soon.
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