President Donald Trump has decided to nominate Kirstjen Nielsen to succeed John Kelly as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, the White House announced Wednesday evening.
Politico, Reuters and other outlets had reported earlier on Wednesday that the nomination was imminent, citing unnamed sources. Nielsen was Kelly's chief of staff while he was Homeland Security secretary. After Kelly became chief of staff to Trump, Nielsen became his deputy chief of staff and special assistant to the president.
Prior to joining Kelly at Homeland Security, Nielsen was president of the firm Sunesis Consulting. Prior to that, she worked as president and general counsel for the homeland and national security arm of the Civitas Group, a consulting firm.
Before her time in the private sector, she served during the President George W. Bush administration as special assistant to the president and as senior director for prevention, preparedness and response at the White House Homeland Security Council. She also ran the Transportation Security Administration's offices of legislative policy and government affairs, a section she started. Read more at Newsweek.
President Donald Trump has nominated White House Deputy Chief of Staff Kirstjen Nielsen to replace John Kelly as the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Here’s what you need to know about Kirstjen Nielsen shared by Heavy.com.