Analysts Predict DHS Morale Crisis Will Test Markwayne Mullin's Tenure: 'He Needs to Stop the Bleeding'

New Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin faces an immediate challenge as he takes over the agency: reversing a sharp decline in workforce morale that officials warn could affect operations and national security, according to a new sprawling piece by Bloomber Government.

"He needs to stop the bleeding," Stewart Verdery, a former senior DHS official under President George W. Bush told the news outlet, summarizing concerns about staffing losses, burnout and declining trust within the department.

Current and former officials echored Verdery, saying morale deteriorated significantly under former Secretary Kristi Noem and citing heightened employee monitoring, strict spending controls and rhetoric about eliminating parts of the agency. A prolonged funding lapse and ongoing shutdown have compounded the strain, leaving tens of thousands of employees furloughed or working without pay.

"The worst thing for morale is working without pay for more than 40 days," a DHS spokesperson told Bloomberg, attributing the shutdown's impact to congressional gridlock while crediting President Donald Trump and Mullin with efforts to resolve it.

The consequences of prolonged stress could extend beyond internal dynamics. Former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said further deterioration could carry national security risks, particularly as DHS prepares for large-scale events such as the FIFA World Cup and navigates global tensions, including the war in Iran.

"Markwayne Mullin has walked into a mess," said Napolitano, adding that she doesn't expect meaningful change as Mullin carries out Trump's immigration agenda.

Employees consulted by Bloomberg described a workplace environment marked by distrust and pressure. "There's a real sense of paranoia," one DHS official said. "You have to watch what you say and who you say it to—you don't know who you can trust." Others cited long hours, staffing shortages and fear of reprisal for minor mistakes.

Mullin has acknowledged the problems and signaled a shift in management style. At his confirmation hearing, he criticized policies implemented under Noem, including requiring approval for disaster-related contracts exceeding $100,000. "That's called micromanaging," Mullin said. "I'm not a micromanager."

He also pledged to allow agency leaders more autonomy, particularly within the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has faced staffing shortages and delays in aid distribution. "We're already looking" at appointing permanent leadership, he said, while emphasizing the need to "deliver the mission better for the American people."