Kristi Noem

Kristi Noem
Official portrait, 2023
8th United States Secretary of Homeland Security
Incumbent
Assumed office January 25, 2025
President	Donald Trump
Deputy	Troy Edgar (nominee)
Preceded by	Alejandro Mayorkas
33rd Governor of South Dakota
In office January 5, 2019 – January 25, 2025
Lieutenant	Larry Rhoden
Preceded by	Dennis Daugaard
Succeeded by	Larry Rhoden
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Dakota's at-large district
In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2019
Preceded by	Stephanie Herseth Sandlin
Succeeded by	Dusty Johnson
Member of the South Dakota House of Representatives from the 6th district
In office January 9, 2007 – January 3, 2011
Preceded by	Art Fryslie
Succeeded by	Burt Tulson
Personal details
Born	Kristi Lynn Arnold (1971-11-30) November 30, 1971 (age 53) Watertown, South Dakota, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Bryon Noem ​ (m. 1992)​
Children	3
Alma mater	South Dakota State University (BA)
Signature

Kristi Lynn Arnold Noem (/noʊm/; née Arnold; born November 30, 1971) is an American politician who has been the 8th United States Secretary of Homeland Security since 2025. Noem is a member of the Republican Party. Before, she was the 33rd Governor of South Dakota from 2019 to 2025, the United States Representative from South Dakota's at-large congressional district from 2011 to 2019, and member of the South Dakota House of Representatives for the 6th district from 2007 to 2011.

Noem was elected governor in the 2018 election, defeating Democrat Billie Sutton.^[1] During her time as governor, she became known for her refusal to issue a face mask mandate in South Dakota during the COVID-19 pandemic and for her strict response to protests surrounding the Keystone Pipeline. In 2022, Noem was re-elected by a landslide.

In August 2013, conservative Newsmax magazine named Noem among the "25 most influential women in the GOP".^[2] She was seen as a possible vice presidential pick for former President Donald Trump's re-election campaign in the 2024 election.^[3][4] In November 2024, President-elect Trump picked Noem to be his United States Secretary of Homeland Security during his second administration.^[5]

Living in rural South Dakota, Noem is also a farmer and a rancher.^[6] Noem released her first autobiography, Not My First Rodeo: Lessons from the Heartland, in 2022.^[7] In her second autobiography, No Going Back (2024), Noem talked about a time in which she shot and killed her young dog that because of how he behaved.^[8][9] This caused criticisms from Democrats and Republicans. Noem said that she was a "responsible owner" who made a tough decision.^[6][9]

1. ↑ Rep. Kristi Noem wins South Dakota GOP governor primary, FOX News, June 6, 2018.
2. ↑ Meyers, Jim. "Newsmax Exclusive: The 25 Influential Women of the GOP". Retrieved 8 January 2014.
3. ↑ Cite error: The named reference vphill was used but no text was provided for refs named (see the help page).
4. ↑ Cite error: The named reference NYTVP was used but no text was provided for refs named (see the help page).
5. ↑ Cite error: The named reference sechs was used but no text was provided for refs named (see the help page).
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Vasquez, Maegan; Wang, Amy (April 27, 2024). "Democrats, political figures dogpile onto Trump VP hopeful after story of animal killings". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on April 28, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
7. ↑ Noem, Kristi (2022). Not My First Rodeo: Lessons from the Heartland. Twelve Books. ISBN 9781538707050. Archived from the original on July 10, 2022. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
8. ↑ Cite error: The named reference Martin was used but no text was provided for refs named (see the help page).
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Reid, Tim (April 27, 2024). "Kristi Noem, a Trump VP contender, defends killing dog on family farm". Reuters. Retrieved April 27, 2024.