Tipsheet

DHS Firebrand Spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin To Step Down Next Week

Dmitri Bolt
Dmitri Bolt  |  February 17, 2026 5:00 PM

Tricia McLaughlin, the Department of Homeland Security’s firebrand spokeswoman, is set to step down next week, with her deputy expected to succeed her, according to administration officials familiar with the matter.

"McLaughlin started planning to leave in December but pushed back her departure amid the aftermath of the Renee Good and Alex Pretti shootings," DHS told Townhall. It remains unclear why the shootings in January affected her plan to step down in December.

McLaughlin reaffirmed in a text message that while she was leaving DHS, “I’m not exiting the fight.”

Some have speculated that McLaughlin is stepping down due to controversy, although sources told the NY Post that she was leaving for the “same reason anyone leaves: It’s a slog.”

“She did a great job,” they added, squashing theories that "she was pushed out" by the administration or critics.

"Tricia McLaughlin has served with exceptional dedication, tenacity, and professionalism as Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security," DHS Secretary Kristi Noem wrote in a statement. "She has played an instrumental role in advancing our mission to secure the homeland and keep Americans safe. While we are sad to see her leave, we are grateful for her service and wish Tricia nothing but success."

Since joining the administration, McLaughlin emerged as a leading public advocate for President Trump’s deportation policies, frequently appearing on Fox News and other outlets, sparring with critics, and using X to blast opponents of his nationwide immigration crackdown.

Over the past month, McLaughlin has forcefully defended ICE agents in the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. She argued that in Good’s case, the woman had accelerated her vehicle toward an agent, posing a deadly threat, a tactic she said has become increasingly common among protesters. Regarding Pretti, McLaughlin claimed he “violently resisted” arrest and intended “to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement.”