History of Kristi Noem in Timeline
Kristi Noem is an American politician who has served as the 8th United States Secretary of Homeland Security since 2025. A Republican, she previously served as the 33rd Governor of South Dakota from 2019 to 2025. Prior to her governorship, Noem represented South Dakota's at-large congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019. Her career has been marked by roles in both the executive and legislative branches of government.
November 30, 1971: Kristi Noem Born
On November 30, 1971, Kristi Lynn Arnold Noem was born. She later became a politician, serving as the 33rd governor of South Dakota and representing South Dakota's at-large congressional district in the U.S. House.
1990: Attended Northern State University
In 1990, Kristi Noem began attending Northern State University.
1990: Graduated High School, Crowned Snow Queen
In 1990, Kristi Noem graduated from Hamlin High School and was crowned South Dakota Snow Queen.
1992: Marriage to Bryon Noem
Kristi Noem married Bryon Noem in 1992 in Watertown, South Dakota. They have three children.
April 21, 1994: Birth of Daughter Kassidy
On April 21, 1994, Kristi Noem's daughter, Kassidy, was born.
1994: Father's Death
In 1994, Kristi Noem's father was killed in a farm machinery accident.
2006: Elected to South Dakota House
In 2006, Kristi Noem won a seat as a Republican in the South Dakota House of Representatives, representing the 6th district, with 39% of the vote.
2007: Served in South Dakota House of Representatives
From 2007, Kristi Noem served in the South Dakota House of Representatives.
2008: Re-elected to South Dakota House
In 2008, Kristi Noem was reelected to the South Dakota House of Representatives with 41% of the vote.
2009: Vice Chair of Agriculture Land Assessment Advisory Task Force
In 2009, Kristi Noem served as vice chair of the Agriculture Land Assessment Advisory Task Force.
2009: Fireworks Displays Halted at Mount Rushmore
In 2009, the National Park Service halted fireworks displays at Mount Rushmore due to fire risks and other safety concerns.
August 2010: Opposed embryonic stem-cell research
In August 2010, while running for Congress, Kristi Noem indicated that she would vote to ban embryonic stem-cell research.
2010: Ending the deepwater drilling moratorium
In 2010, Kristi Noem supported ending the 2010 United States deepwater drilling moratorium in the Gulf of Mexico .
2010: Elected to U.S. House of Representatives
In 2010, Kristi Noem was elected to South Dakota's at-large seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
2010: End of time at South Dakota House of Representatives
In 2010, Kristi Noem's time in the South Dakota House of Representatives ended.
March 8, 2011: Formation of KRISTI PAC
On March 8, 2011, Kristi Noem announced the formation of a leadership political action committee, KRISTI PAC.
March 2011: Critical of Obama's Approach to Libyan Intervention
In March 2011, Kristi Noem was critical of President Barack Obama's approach to the NATO-led military intervention in the 2011 Libyan civil war.
March 2011: Named Regional Director for NRCC
In March 2011, Republican Representative Pete Sessions of Texas named Kristi Noem one of the 12 regional directors for the National Republican Congressional Committee during the 2012 election campaign.
2011: U.S. House Representative
In 2011, Kristi Noem began representing South Dakota's at-large congressional district in the U.S. House, a position she held until 2019.
2011: End of time at South Dakota House of Representatives
In 2011, Kristi Noem finished serving at South Dakota House of Representatives.
2011: Debt Ceiling Vote
In 2011, Kristi Noem indicated she would vote to raise the federal debt ceiling only if tied to budget reforms. She ultimately voted for S. 365, The Budget Control Act of 2011.
2011: Sponsored measure to block EPA funding
In 2011, Kristi Noem sponsored a measure to block Environmental Protection Agency funding for tighter air pollution standards for coarse particulates.
2011: Family Stays in South Dakota
In 2011, when Kristi Noem moved to Washington to take her congressional office, her family remained on a ranch near Castlewood, South Dakota.
2012: Bachelor of Arts Degree
In 2012, Kristi Noem obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in political science from South Dakota State University while serving as a U.S. representative.
2012: 2012 election campaign
In 2012, Kristi Noem was one of the 12 regional directors for the National Republican Congressional Committee.
2013: House Armed Services Committee
From 2013, Kristi Noem served on the House Armed Services Committee.
2014: Worked on National Defense Authorization Act
In 2014, Kristi Noem worked on the National Defense Authorization Act as a member of the House Armed Services Committee.
2015: Co-sponsored Bill on Abortion
In 2015, Kristi Noem co-sponsored a bill to amend the 14th Amendment to define human life and personhood as beginning at fertilization, federally banning abortion from the moment of fertilization.
2015: Co-sponsored legislation on personhood
In 2015, Kristi Noem co-sponsored legislation to amend the 14th Amendment to define human life and personhood as beginning at the moment of fertilization.
2015: End of time at House Armed Services Committee
In 2015, Kristi Noem finished serving on the House Armed Services Committee.
2015: Opposition to Same-Sex Marriage
In 2015, Kristi Noem publicly expressed her opposition to same-sex marriage, disagreeing with the Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges.
2015: Indiana RFRA Law
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 2015, resembles the 2015 bill signed into law by Indiana Governor Mike Pence.
November 2016: Announced Gubernatorial Run
In November 2016, Kristi Noem announced she would run for governor of South Dakota in 2018 rather than seek reelection to Congress.
2017: Supported Trump's Executive Order 13769
In 2017, Kristi Noem supported President Donald Trump's Executive Order 13769, which suspended the U.S. refugee program for 120 days and banned all travel to the U.S. by nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries for 90 days.
2017: Negotiated Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
In 2017, Kristi Noem was on the conference committee that negotiated the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which she touted as giving the average South Dakota family a $1,200 tax cut.
2018: Attendance at Foursquare Church
As of 2018, Kristi Noem and her family attended a Foursquare Church in Watertown, South Dakota.
2018: Online Sales Tax Bill
In 2018, Kristi Noem pitched the idea to attach her online sales tax bill to the government funding package as part of an omnibus.
2018: First Female Governor of South Dakota
In 2018, Kristi Noem was elected as the first female governor of South Dakota.
2018: Elected as Governor
In 2018, Kristi Noem was elected as the governor of South Dakota.
2018: Government Transparency Platform
While running for governor in 2018, Kristi Noem made government transparency part of her platform.
January 5, 2019: Sworn in as Governor
On January 5, 2019, Kristi Noem was sworn in as governor of South Dakota, becoming the first woman in that office in the state.
February 2019: Assessment of Trade War Impact
In February 2019, Kristi Noem stated that the Trump administration's trade wars with China and the European Union had significantly harmed South Dakota's economy, particularly the agricultural sector.
May 2019: Fence Proposal at Governor's Mansion
In May 2019, Kristi Noem initially proposed building a fence around the governor's mansion, estimated to cost $400,000, but later retracted the proposal.
October 1, 2019: Josh Shields Departs as Chief of Staff
On October 1, 2019, Josh Shields ended his service as Kristi Noem's chief of staff.
November 18, 2019: Launch of 'Meth. We're on It' Campaign
On November 18, 2019, Kristi Noem launched the "Meth. We're on It" meth awareness campaign. It was widely mocked, and Noem faced criticism for spending $449,000 of public funds on an out-of-state advertising agency. She defended the campaign's success in raising awareness.
2019: Governor of South Dakota
In 2019, Kristi Noem began her service as the 33rd Governor of South Dakota, a position she held until 2025.
2019: Participated in U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program
In 2019, Kristi Noem consented to South Dakota's participation in the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program following a Trump executive order that allowed state and local governments to opt out.
2019: End of time at U.S. House of Representatives
In 2019, Kristi Noem finished serving in Congress.
2019: Concealed Handgun Permit Abolished
In 2019, Kristi Noem signed a bill into law that abolished South Dakota's permit requirement to carry a concealed handgun.
2019: Signed Anti-Protest Legislation
In 2019, Kristi Noem signed anti-protest legislation developed in collaboration with TransCanada Corporation in response to protests against the Keystone Pipeline.
2019: Signed Abortion Restriction Bills
In 2019, Kristi Noem signed bills restricting abortion, saying they would "crack down on abortion providers in South Dakota".
2019: Veto of Hemp Legalization Bill
In 2019, Kristi Noem vetoed a bill passed by the South Dakota House and Senate to legalize hemp cultivation, citing concerns that it would undermine drug law enforcement and lead to marijuana legalization.
January 1, 2020: Josh Shields Departs as Chief of Staff
On January 1, 2020, Josh Shields's tenure as Kristi Noem's chief of staff concluded.
March 2, 2020: Tony Venhuizen Appointed Chief of Staff
On March 2, 2020, Tony Venhuizen became Kristi Noem's chief of staff.
March 13, 2020: Noem orders K-12 schools to close
On March 13, 2020, Kristi Noem ordered K-12 schools to close in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This action was taken to mitigate the spread of the virus among students and staff.
April 6, 2020: Noem issues executive order and stay-at-home recommendation
On April 6, 2020, Kristi Noem issued an executive order that said people "shall" follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She also ordered everyone over age 65 in Minnehaha and Lincoln counties to stay home for three weeks. This was part of the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
April 9, 2020: Inspectors allowed to wear masks with permission
On April 9, 2020, the Food Safety and Inspection Service announced that its inspectors would be allowed to wear masks if the meatpacking plants' owners gave permission. Inspectors were expected to supply their own masks. This occurred during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
April 13, 2020: Noem comments on Smithfield outbreak
On April 13, 2020, regarding the COVID-19 outbreak at a Smithfield pork plant, Kristi Noem told Fox News, "We believe that 99 percent of what's going on today wasn't happening inside the facility". This statement came as hundreds of workers had tested positive at the plant, downplaying the spread within the workplace.
April 2020: Peters receives an Agreed Disposition
Around March/April 2020, Kassidy Peters received an Agreed Disposition concerning her application for a real estate appraisal license. This event is part of the timeline investigated by the Government Operations and Audit Committee regarding potential influence by Governor Noem.
July 3, 2020: Noem attends Mount Rushmore event without mask mandates
On July 3, 2020, Kristi Noem did not mandate social distancing or the wearing of face masks at an event at Mount Rushmore with then-President Trump present. Health experts warned about the risks of large gatherings without precautions. Noem publicly doubted the usefulness of masks, citing analysis by the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons.
July 20, 2020: Peters receives a letter for failing to meet requirements
Around July 20, 2020, Kassidy Peters received a letter and/or Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law after she failed to meet the requirements of the Agreed Disposition. This was in relation to her application for a real estate appraisal license, adding to the controversy surrounding the matter.
August 2020: Noem speaks at Republican National Convention
In August 2020, Kristi Noem was rewarded for her COVID-19 response with a speech at the Republican National Convention, which elevated her national profile. The Argus Leader called the RNC speech a "defining moment in her political career".
October 22, 2020: COVID-19 hospitalizations reach record high
On October 22, 2020, COVID-19 patients hospitalized in South Dakota reached a record high of 355, including 75 in Intensive Care Units. This surge occurred after the 2020 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, in which Noem participated. Hospital systems rescheduled elective procedures to accommodate the increase in patients.
November 2020: Noem promotes tourism using pandemic relief funds
In November 2020, during a surge in COVID-19 cases in South Dakota, Kristi Noem used pandemic relief funds to promote tourism. She did not implement face mask mandates, raised doubts about the efficacy of mask-wearing, encouraged large gatherings without social distancing or mask-wearing, and questioned public health experts' advice.
December 8, 2020: Acknowledgment of Biden Administration
On December 8, 2020, Kristi Noem tacitly acknowledged the outcome of the 2020 presidential election by referring to a "Biden administration" during her annual state budget address.
December 2020: Noem avoids statewide mandates amid COVID-19
As of December 2020, Kristi Noem was one of the few governors who had not maintained statewide stay-at-home orders or face-mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her approach mirrored Trump's rhetoric and handling of the pandemic.
2020: Events took place
From 2020 to 2021, the following events took place:
2020: Opposition to Cannabis Legalization
In 2020, Kristi Noem opposed ballot measures to legalize cannabis for medical and recreational use in South Dakota. After both measures passed, she and two police officers filed a lawsuit challenging the recreational use measure, Amendment A.
2020: Noem's involvement in daughter's real estate appraisal license denial
In 2020, after Kristi Noem's daughter, Kassidy Peters, was denied a real estate appraisal license, Noem summoned Sherry Bren, the director of South Dakota's Appraiser Certification Program, to her office. The meeting included Peters and other officials. This event sparked controversy and accusations of using her position to influence the licensing process.
2020: Legislation to Repeal Sections of Previous Bill
In 2020, after a federal court struck down sections of the legislation as unconstitutional, Kristi Noem brought legislation to repeal sections of the previous bill and clarify the definition of "incitement to riot".
2020: Revival of Fence Project
In 2020, the 2019 fence project was revived based on recommendations from Noem's security team.
2020: Trump-Pence Victory in South Dakota
In 2020, the Trump-Pence ticket won South Dakota, receiving 261,043 votes. Kristi Noem was initially designated as one of Trump's presidential electors but later withdrew.
2020: COVID-19 outbreak at Smithfield Foods plant
In early 2020, one of the largest COVID-19 outbreaks in the U.S. occurred in South Dakota at the Smithfield Foods production plant in Sioux Falls. The outbreak resulted in four deaths, with nearly 1,300 workers and their family members testing positive. Noem publicly echoed the misinformation that the spread was not happening at work but rather in the workers "home and social" habits.
2020: Noem opts out of federal unemployment benefits
Sixteen weeks after Trump's 2020 executive order that provided enhanced weekly unemployment benefits of $300, Kristi Noem opted out of the program, citing a low state unemployment rate. South Dakota was the only state to refuse the assistance, even though its jobless rate was up from March.
January 6, 2021: Response to Capitol Attack
After the U.S. Capitol attack on January 6, 2021, Kristi Noem condemned the violence. The following day, she referred to newly elected Democratic senators from Georgia as "communists", prompting criticism.
February 8, 2021: Amendment Struck Down
On February 8, 2021, circuit court judge Christina Klinger struck down Amendment A as unconstitutional.
March 8, 2021: Announcement of Women's Fairness in Sports Bill
On March 8, 2021, Kristi Noem announced on Twitter that she would sign into law H.B. 1217, the Women's Fairness in Sports Bill, which bans transgender athletes from women's sports teams. Critics expressed concerns about potential economic repercussions.
April 23, 2021: Aaron Scheibe Departs as Chief of Staff
On April 23, 2021, Aaron Scheibe left his position as Kristi Noem's chief of staff.
July 1, 2021: Medical Marijuana Legalization
After efforts to delay implementation, medical marijuana became legal in South Dakota on July 1, 2021.
July 2021: Changes in Department of Corrections leadership
In July 2021, Kristi Noem placed Secretary of the Department of Corrections Mike Liedholt on administrative leave and fired South Dakota State Penitentiary Warden Darin Young and Deputy Warden Jennifer Dreiske. This followed an anonymous note with complaints regarding pay, medical coverage, and instances of sexual harassment. Liedholt later announced his retirement.
August 2021: Review of Department of Corrections operations
In August 2021, Kristi Noem announced that the CGL Group, a California-based company, was hired for $166,410 to comprehensively review the Department of Corrections operations. At the same time, the director of the prison work program was fired, and two other DOC employees were relieved of their duties.
September 2021: Extramarital Affair Allegations
In September 2021, American Greatness reported that Kristi Noem was having an affair with Corey Lewandowski. Noem denied the allegations, calling them a "disgusting lie" and an attack on conservative women.
September 22, 2021: Lawsuit filed to obtain documents about National Guard deployment
On September 22, 2021, the Center for Public Integrity sued the South Dakota National Guard and the U.S. Department of Defense in federal district court in the District of Columbia to obtain documents about the deployment of National Guard members to Texas's border with Mexico and the donation that funded it.
October 2021: Committee investigates appraisal program
In October 2021, the State Senate's Government Operations and Audit Committee invited Marcia Hultman and Sherry Bren to discuss the appraisal program in light of the controversy surrounding Kassidy Peters' real estate appraisal license denial. This investigation was prompted by an Associated Press story about the incident.
November 1, 2021: Government Accountability Board sets agenda to discuss complaints
On November 1, 2021, the Government Accountability Board set an agenda to discuss the issue regarding Noem's involvement in her daughter's real estate appraisal license denial and another issue based on complaints brought by Ravnsborg.
November 2021: Announced Re-election Campaign
In November 2021, Kristi Noem announced she was running for reelection as governor.
November 2021: Spending on Governor's Mansion
In late November 2021, reports surfaced that Kristi Noem spent $68,000 of taxpayer money on imported rugs from India, chandeliers, and a sauna for the governor's mansion.
November 19, 2021: Appointment of New Chief of Staff
On November 19, 2021, Kristi Noem appointed Mark Miller as her fifth chief of staff, replacing Aaron Scheibe.
December 14, 2021: Bren testifies before Government Operations and Audit Committee
On December 14, 2021, Sherry Bren testified before the Government Operations and Audit Committee regarding Kassidy Peters' real estate appraisal license denial. Bren stated that Peters received an Agreed Disposition around March/April 2020 and later a letter on July 20, 2020, for failing to meet the Agreed Disposition requirements.
December 15, 2021: Board refers complaint to Noem for response
On December 15, 2021, the Government Accountability Board referred one of the two complaints against Noem to her for a response and sent the other back to the complainant for further information. This action was part of the investigation into alleged misconduct.
December 2021: Support for Women's Sports Bill
In December 2021, Kristi Noem and her office signaled support for a bill called "An Act to Protect Fairness in women's sports," which would require athletes to join teams aligning with their biological sex at birth.
2021: Events took place
From 2020 to 2021, the following events took place:
2021: Signing of Religious Refusal Bill
In 2021, Kristi Noem signed a religious refusal bill into law, amending the state RFRA to allow business owners to deny products or services based on religious beliefs related to sexual orientation or gender identity. Civil rights groups criticized S.B. 124, citing potential discrimination.
2021: Lawsuit over Mount Rushmore Fireworks
In 2021, Kristi Noem sued U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland to reinstate fireworks at Mount Rushmore for Independence Day, which had been halted in 2009 due to fire risks. The U.S. District Court dismissed the suit, but Noem filed an appeal on July 13.
January 21, 2022: "Prayer Bill" Defeated in Committee
On January 21, 2022, the "prayer bill", HB 1015, which sought to have prayer put back in school, was defeated in the House Education Committee by a vote of 9–6.
February 3, 2022: Board refers second complaint to Noem
On February 3, 2022, the Government Accountability Board referred the second complaint against Kristi Noem to her for a response, giving her until April 15, 2022, to answer both pending complaints. These actions related to investigations into potential misconduct.
February 2022: House Democratic Minority Leader Jamie Smith announced he was seeking the Democratic nomination.
In February 2022, House Democratic Minority Leader Jamie Smith announced he was seeking the Democratic nomination.
February 24, 2022: House Resolution 7004 introduced against Noem
On February 24, 2022, Republican State Representative John Mills introduced House Resolution 7004, "Addressing the Governor's unacceptable actions in matters related to the appraiser certification program", against Kristi Noem. This resolution was a formal challenge to her actions regarding her daughter's real estate appraisal license denial.
March 14, 2022: Bawek files lawsuit alleging retaliation
On March 14, 2022, Stephany Bawek, the former prison work program director, filed a lawsuit in federal district court alleging that she was fired for reporting incidents of sexual harassment in the workplace. This followed her complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) claiming retaliation.
April 15, 2022: Deadline for Noem to respond to complaints
April 15, 2022, was the deadline for Kristi Noem to respond to both pending complaints referred to her by the Government Accountability Board. These complaints were part of ongoing investigations into her conduct.
2022: Banning TikTok from state-owned devices
In 2022, Kristi Noem issued an order banning TikTok from state-owned devices, citing concerns that the Chinese Communist Party uses the information gathered on TikTok to manipulate the American people. This action reflects her stance against China and efforts to protect user data on state-owned devices.
2022: RV Park Proposal in Custer State Park
In 2022, Kristi Noem proposed locating a government-paid RV park in Custer State Park, but it faced significant opposition and was effectively killed by the House Agricultural and Natural Resources committee.
2022: Published Autobiography: Not My First Rodeo
In 2022, Kristi Noem published her autobiography, "Not My First Rodeo: Lessons from the Heartland" by Kristi Noem.
2022: Gun Range Proposal Rejected
In 2022, Kristi Noem sought to build a gun range in Meade County using government funds, but the legislature rejected the proposal.
2022: Climate Change Denial
In 2022, Kristi Noem stated she believes the science on climate change has been varied and that it hasn't been proven to her that human actions are affecting the climate.
2022: National Defense Authorization Act bans privately funded National Guard deployments
The 2022 National Defense Authorization Act banned National Guard members from crossing state borders to perform duties paid for by private donors. This legislation affected deployments like the one Kristi Noem authorized to the Texas border with Mexico, which was funded by a private donation.
September 2023: Endorsement of Trump
In September 2023, Kristi Noem endorsed Donald Trump in the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries at a rally in Rapid City, South Dakota.
September 2023: Interest in Being Running Mate
In September 2023, Kristi Noem expressed her willingness to serve as Donald Trump's running mate "in a heartbeat" when asked on Newsmax.
September 2023: Renewed Affair Allegations
In September 2023, the New York Post and the Daily Mail published similar reports about Noem and Lewandowski. Noem's spokesman denied the allegations.
2023: Remarks at NRA Forum
At a 2023 NRA forum in Indiana, Kristi Noem mentioned that her two-year-old granddaughter owned a shotgun, a rifle, and a "little pony named Sparkles".
2023: Prohibiting Tencent applications on state-owned devices
In 2023, Kristi Noem signed an order prohibiting the downloading or use of any application or visiting of any site owned by the Chinese company Tencent, including WeChat, on state-owned devices. This was part of her continued effort to safeguard against perceived threats from Chinese technology companies.
January 2024: Noem comments on southern border and drug cartels
In January 2024, Kristi Noem stated that an "invasion is coming over the southern border" of the United States and that "the enemy is the Mexican drug cartels", which are "perpetrating violence in each of our states, even here in South Dakota ... The cartels are using our reservations to facilitate the spread of drugs throughout the Midwest." These comments contributed to the tensions with tribal leaders.
February 2024: Tied for Top Running Mate Choice
At the February 2024 CPAC conference, Kristi Noem tied with Vivek Ramaswamy as attendees' top choice for Donald Trump's running mate, each receiving 15% of the vote in a straw poll.
March 2024: Mentioned as Shortlist Candidate
In March 2024, CNN reported that Donald Trump acknowledged that Kristi Noem was one of the names on his shortlist to be his running mate.
March 2024: Appearance at Trump Rally
In March 2024, Donald Trump invited Kristi Noem to appear with him at a rally in Vandalia, Ohio.
March 2024: Promotion of Smile Texas
In March 2024, Kristi Noem promoted a cosmetic dentist business, Smile Texas, in a video, identifying herself as the South Dakota governor and stating that the business helped her after she lost her front teeth. This has made her an example of the "Mar-a-Lago face" trend among conservative women.
March 2024: Noem alleges tribal leaders benefit from cartels
In March 2024, Kristi Noem said that there were "some tribal leaders that I believe are personally benefiting from the cartels being there", without providing any evidence. She also claimed to receive calls and texts from people on reservations expressing fear and requesting help, citing high unemployment rates and lack of parental support. These statements exacerbated the conflict with tribal nations.
April 2024: Reversed support for federal ban on abortion
In April 2024, Kristi Noem reversed her support for a federal ban on abortion, supporting state control and South Dakota's law.
April 2024: Waning Odds as Running Mate
In April 2024, insiders suggested that Kristi Noem's odds of being selected as Donald Trump's running mate had decreased due to her stance on abortion and revelations in her book. By June, reports indicated she was no longer on the shortlist.
April 2024: Controversy over "No Going Back" Excerpts
In April 2024, pre-release excerpts from Kristi Noem's autobiography, "No Going Back", received criticism. She recounted shooting her 14-month-old wirehaired pointer, Cricket, and her family's male goat, because she deemed Cricket "untrainable" and the goat "disgusting".
August 2024: Induction into Daughters of the American Revolution
In August 2024, Kristi Noem and her sister were inducted into the Daughters of the American Revolution at the South Dakota State Fair.
November 12, 2024: Selection as Secretary of Homeland Security
On November 12, 2024, President-elect Trump selected Kristi Noem to serve as Secretary of Homeland Security in his second term.
2024: Published Autobiography: No Going Back
In 2024, Kristi Noem published her autobiography, "No Going Back" by Kristi Noem, which sparked controversy.
2024: Prohibiting land purchase by foreign governments
In 2024, Kristi Noem signed a bill prohibiting the governments of six countries—China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela—and entities from those countries from buying agricultural land in South Dakota. This action was aimed at protecting the state's agricultural resources from foreign influence.
2024: Tribes ban Noem from tribal lands
In 2024, all nine tribes of South Dakota reportedly banned Kristi Noem from entering any tribal lands, effectively prohibiting her from almost 20% of South Dakota. However, reports also indicated that the Yankton Sioux tribe had not officially banned Noem, leading to conflicting information in the media.
January 2025: Noem apologizes, Flandreau Santee Sioux tribe dissolves ban
Around January 2025, Kristi Noem apologized to the tribes for the misunderstanding between them. Following the apology, the Flandreau Santee Sioux tribe dissolved its order banning Noem from its land. The tribe expressed support for her nomination as the Secretary of Homeland Security.
January 2025: Confirmed as Secretary of Homeland Security
In January 2025, Kristi Noem was confirmed as Secretary of Homeland Security by a Senate vote of 59-34.
January 17, 2025: Confirmation Hearing
On January 17, 2025, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs held a confirmation hearing for Kristi Noem.
January 25, 2025: Swearing-In as Secretary of Homeland Security
After resigning as governor of South Dakota, on January 25, 2025, Kristi Noem was sworn in as Secretary of Homeland Security by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
January 28, 2025: Immigration Raid Led by Noem
In the early morning of January 28, 2025, Kristi Noem led a raid on illegal immigrants in New York City, involving multiple federal law enforcement agencies. Her department shared a video of the raid on X.
February 2025: Interview on Administration Policies
In February 2025, Kristi Noem was interviewed by CNN host Dana Bash about the new administration's policies and the Department of Homeland Security. Discussions included the use of Guantanamo Bay for migrant detention and the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) access to sensitive data.
April 2025: Report on False Social Security Listings
In April 2025, The Washington Post reported that Kristi Noem and Leland Dudek instructed the Social Security Administration to falsely list over 6,000 living immigrants as deceased in its database.
April 20, 2025: Purse Theft Incident
On the evening of April 20, 2025, Kristi Noem's purse was stolen from a D.C. burger restaurant, containing her government access badge, apartment keys, $2,000-3,000 in cash, passport, and blank checks.
2025: Secretary of Homeland Security
In 2025, Kristi Noem began serving as the 8th United States Secretary of Homeland Security.
2025: Response to Potomac River Collision
In 2025, after the Potomac River mid-air collision, Kristi Noem deployed U.S. Coast Guard resources for search and rescue efforts.
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