Exclusive: Trump Chooses Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary

Exclusive: Trump Chooses Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary

President-elect Donald Trump has reportedly selected South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), according to sources familiar with the decision.

Noem’s appointment signals Trump’s commitment to enforcing his immigration policies, as prominent immigration hardliners Stephen Miller and Tom Homan are set to take on senior roles within DHS. With Noem at the helm, Trump secures a loyal supporter to lead an agency central to his domestic agenda.

DHS faced significant turbulence during Trump’s previous term, experiencing leadership turnover with five different heads, only two of whom were Senate-confirmed. The department, responsible for overseeing agencies like US Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, FEMA, and the Secret Service, manages a budget of approximately $60 billion and a vast workforce.

Previously a U.S. representative for South Dakota, Noem will now take on the task of managing this sprawling agency. Although she had once been considered for Trump’s vice-presidential shortlist, her relationship with him fluctuated following the controversial release of her book, No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward. In it, she recounts an incident involving the euthanization of her wirehair pointer, Cricket, a decision that drew attention after she described the dog as “untrainable.”