Trump to pick cybersecurity expert as Homeland secretary

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump plans to nominate Kirstjen Nielsen, a top aide to chief of staff John Kelly, to take over the Department of Homeland Security, a Homeland Security official confirmed Wednesday.

The appointment of Nielsen likely would mean a continuation of the policies followed by Kelly. The retired Marine general won Trump’s praise for his tough approach to immigration enforcement during his six months running the department.

Nielsen, who served as Kelly’s deputy at Homeland Security before following him to the White House, has extensive expertise in cybersecurity, a top priority for the department.

In picking her, Trump passed over potential nominees who have closer ties to administration officials who favor hard-line efforts to restrict both legal and illegal immigration.

The decision to go with Nielsen indicates that Kelly, by recommending a top aide and a Homeland Security veteran, was able to exert more influence than Stephen Miller, Trump’s speechwriter and domestic policy adviser, who has pushed measures to severely restrict immigration.

Acting Secretary Elaine Duke told her staff about the expected appointment Wednesday, according to the Homeland Security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to comment on the internal discussions. The choice was first reported by Politico.

Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security, said in a statement he was pleased the president had made a decision on filling the post “after letting the critical national security position remain vacant as the nation faced multiple major hurricanes and a domestic terrorism attack.”