Watch Live Stream: President Trump Picks Kirstjen Nielsen As New Secretary Of Homeland Security

WASHINGTON, DC — President Trump on Wednesday nominated Kirstjen Nielsen to be the new secretary of Homeland Security. The position had been open since July, when former secretary John Kelly became Trump's chief of staff.

"Ms. Nielsen has extensive professional experience in the areas of homeland security policy and strategy, cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, and emergency management," the White House said in a statement.

Nielsen is the first nominee for the position, the White House said. She previously worked in the Homeland Security department, first as senior legislative policy director for Transportation and Security Administration under President George W. Bush and later as Department of Homeland Security Chief of Staff under President Trump. (For more information on Nielsen's nomination and other political stories, subscribe to the White House Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

You can watch a live stream of Trump's announcement Thursday afternoon at 2:30 Eastern:

Nielsen has also worked in the private sector as a security consultant and a corporate attorney, and she previously worked as a congressional staffer.

Politico had previously reported that Nielsen was likely to get the job.

“She would be the first person to run the department who has actually worked there,” an administration source told Politico. “She has a deep familiarity.”

DHS is a young department, initiated by President George W. Bush in 2002 in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. It absorbed existing agencies at that time, including Immigration and Naturalization Services and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Nielsen, if confirmed by the Senate, will replace current acting Secretary Elaine Duke.

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Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images