(CNN) — The Department of Homeland Security’s top spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, is stepping down, a Trump administration official told CNN. McLaughlin is expected to leave her position as assistant secretary next week. Her departure comes on the heels of high-profile shootings in Minnesota, where conflicting accounts called into question the department’s credibility. During the first Trump administration, McLaughlin worked as the chief of staff for nuclear arms control at the State Department and in the public affairs office at the Treasury Department. She is the latest top DHS official to leave about a year into the new administration.

Source: CNN February 17, 2026 19:33 UTC