Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Kristi Noem

Discover the career path of Kristi Noem, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Kristi Noem is an American politician who served as the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security from 2025 to 2026. As a Republican, she was the 33rd governor of South Dakota (2019-2025) and represented South Dakota's at-large congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives (2011-2019). Her time at DHS was marked by controversies surrounding her immigration policies and the actions of ICE.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

2006: Election 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.

2007: South Dakota House of Representatives

In 2007, Kristi Noem began her political career in the South Dakota House of Representatives.

2007: Term in the South Dakota House

In 2007, Kristi Noem began serving in the South Dakota House of Representatives.

2008: Re-election to South Dakota House

In 2008, Kristi Noem was re-elected to the South Dakota House of Representatives.

2009: Vice Chair of Task Force

In 2009, Kristi Noem served as vice chair of the Agriculture Land Assessment Advisory Task Force.

2010: Run for U.S. House of Representatives

In 2010, Kristi Noem ran for South Dakota's at-large seat in the U.S. House of Representatives and won the Republican primary.

2010: End of Term in South Dakota House

In 2010, Kristi Noem's service in the South Dakota House of Representatives concluded.

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: NRCC Regional Director

In March 2011, Republican Representative Pete Sessions named Kristi Noem one of the 12 regional directors for the National Republican Congressional Committee during the 2012 election campaign.

2011: Congressional Service

In 2011, Kristi Noem began representing South Dakota's at-large congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives.

2011: Sponsorship of Measure

In 2011, Kristi Noem sponsored a measure to block Environmental Protection Agency funding for tighter air pollution standards for coarse particulates.

2011: End of Term in South Dakota House

In 2011, Kristi Noem's service in the South Dakota House of Representatives concluded.

2011: Move to Washington, D.C.

In 2011, after being elected to Congress, Kristi Noem moved to Washington, D.C., while her family continued to live on a ranch near Castlewood, South Dakota.

2012: Bachelor's Degree

In 2012, Kristi Noem obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from South Dakota State University while serving as a U.S. representative.

2012: Election Campaign

Kristi Noem served as one of the regional directors for the National Republican Congressional Committee during the 2012 election campaign.

2013: House Armed Services Committee

In 2013, Kristi Noem began serving on the House Armed Services Committee.

2014: Work 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-sponsorship of Abortion Bill

In 2015, Kristi Noem co-sponsored a bill to amend the 14th Amendment to define human life as beginning at fertilization, federally banning abortion from that moment.

2015: End of Term on House Armed Services Committee

In 2015, Kristi Noem finished her term on the House Armed Services Committee.

2015: Comparison to Indiana's RFRA Law

In 2015, the religious refusal law signed by Kristi Noem in 2021, resembles the 2015 bill signed into law by Indiana Governor Mike Pence. This was the first major state RFRA law signed into law in six years.

November 2016: Announcement of Gubernatorial Run

In November 2016, Kristi Noem announced that she would run for governor of South Dakota in 2018 rather than seek reelection to Congress.

2017: Conference Committee Member

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: Online Sales Tax Bill

In 2018, Kristi Noem "pitched the idea to members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus" to attach her online sales tax bill to the government funding package as part of an omnibus.

2018: Election as Governor

In 2018, Kristi Noem was elected as the first female governor of South Dakota.

2018: Government Transparency Platform

While running for governor in 2018, Kristi Noem made government transparency part of her platform, pledging to build the most transparent administration South Dakota has ever seen.

January 5, 2019: Swearing-In as Governor

On January 5, 2019, Kristi Noem was sworn in as South Dakota governor, becoming the first woman to hold that office.

February 2019: Comments on Trade War Impact

In February 2019, Kristi Noem stated that the Trump administration's trade wars with China and the European Union had devastated South Dakota's economy, particularly the agricultural sector.

October 1, 2019: Josh Shields Becomes Chief of Staff

On October 1, 2019, Josh Shields preceded Tony Venhuizen, becoming Kristi Noem's Chief of Staff

November 18, 2019: Launch of "Meth. We're on It" Awareness Campaign

On November 18, 2019, Kristi Noem launched the "Meth. We're on It" meth awareness campaign. The campaign was widely mocked, and Noem faced criticism for spending $449,000 of public funds on an out-of-state advertising agency from Minnesota. She defended the campaign, claiming it successfully raised awareness.

2019: Gubernatorial Service

In 2019, Kristi Noem began her service as the 33rd governor of South Dakota.

2019: Signing of Abortion Restriction Bills

In 2019, Kristi Noem signed bills restricting abortion, stating they would "crack down on abortion providers in South Dakota".

2019: Veto of Hemp Legalization Bill

In 2019, Kristi Noem vetoed a bill that had passed the South Dakota House and Senate to legalize hemp cultivation. She expressed concerns about normalizing hemp and its potential impact on marijuana enforcement.

2019: End of Congressional Service

In 2019, Kristi Noem's service in the U.S. Congress concluded.

January 1, 2020: Josh Shields Departs as Chief of Staff

On January 1, 2020, Josh Shield's tenure as Kristi Noem's Chief of Staff ended.

March 2, 2020: Tony Venhuizen Becomes Chief of Staff

On March 2, 2020, Tony Venhuizen preceded Aaron Scheibe, becoming Kristi Noem's Chief of Staff

December 8, 2020: Acknowledged 'Biden Administration'

On December 8, 2020, Kristi Noem tacitly acknowledged the outcome of the 2020 presidential election during her annual state budget address when she referred to a "Biden administration," despite later refusing to accept the election as "free and fair".

2020: Opposition to Cannabis Legalization Measures

In 2020, Kristi Noem opposed two ballot measures in South Dakota aimed at legalizing cannabis for medical and recreational use. She stated concerns about the impact on communities and children. After both measures passed, Noem and two police officers filed a lawsuit challenging the measure legalizing recreational use, Amendment A.

2020: South Dakota in the 2020 Presidential Election

In 2020, the Trump-Pence ticket won South Dakota with 261,043 votes against the Biden-Harris ticket's 150,471 votes. Kristi Noem was initially designated as one of Trump's presidential electors for South Dakota but later withdrew.

February 8, 2021: Amendment Struck Down as Unconstitutional

On February 8, 2021, circuit court judge Christina Klinger struck down the amendment to legalize recreational cannabis as unconstitutional.

March 8, 2021: Noem to Sign Women's Fairness in Sports Bill

On March 8, 2021, Kristi Noem announced on Twitter that she would sign H.B. 1217, the Women's Fairness in Sports Bill, into law. The bill bans transgender athletes from participating in women's school and college sports teams. Critics voiced concerns that the bill could deter business and cost the state money.

April 23, 2021: Tony Venhuizen Departs as Chief of Staff

On April 23, 2021, Tony Venhuizen's tenure as Kristi Noem's Chief of Staff ended.

July 1, 2021: Medical Marijuana Legalization

Despite efforts to delay its implementation, medical marijuana became legal in South Dakota on July 1, 2021.

November 2021: Announcement of Reelection Campaign

In November 2021, Kristi Noem announced she was running for reelection as governor of South Dakota.

November 19, 2021: Appointment of Mark Miller as Chief of Staff

On November 19, 2021, Kristi Noem appointed Mark Miller as her fifth chief of staff, replacing Aaron Scheibe. Scheibe's tenure lasted from May 1 to November 19, 2021.

December 2021: Support for Fairness in 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". The bill would require young athletes to join teams that align with their sex assigned at birth.

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. Critics argued that S.B. 124 would enable discrimination against LGBTQ+ people, women, and minority faiths.

January 21, 2022: Defeat of "Prayer Bill" in House Committee

On January 21, 2022, HB 1015, the "prayer bill", which sought to reintroduce prayer in schools, was defeated in the House Education Committee. An aide to Kristi Noem admitted that no schools were consulted about the proposal.

2022: Proposal for Government-Paid RV Park

In 2022, Kristi Noem proposed locating a government-paid RV park in Custer State Park. The proposal faced significant opposition due to concerns about government competition with private businesses and disturbing the park's natural environment. The House Agricultural and Natural Resources committee deferred the bill, effectively killing it.

2022: Publication of Autobiography

In 2022, Kristi Noem published her autobiography, "Not My First Rodeo: Lessons from the Heartland".

2022: Revocation of Legal Protections for Immigrants

In 2022, Kristi Noem revoked legal protections for 532,000 people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela who had settled in the U.S. since 2022.

September 2023: Endorsement of Trump in 2024 Republican Primaries

In September 2023, Kristi Noem endorsed Donald Trump in the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries at a rally hosted for him in Rapid City, South Dakota.

September 2023: Possible Running Mate

In September 2023, when asked on Newsmax if she would agree to serve as Trump's running mate, Kristi Noem responded that she would "in a heartbeat".

February 2024: Tied for Top Choice as Trump's Running Mate at CPAC

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: Considered as Trump's Running Mate

In March 2024, CNN reported that Kristi Noem was one of four people Donald Trump had shown increased interest in selecting as his running mate.

March 2024: Appearance at Trump Rally in Ohio

In March 2024, Donald Trump invited Kristi Noem to appear with him at a rally in Vandalia, Ohio.

April 2024: Odds of Being Trump's Running Mate Wane

In April 2024, it was reported that Kristi Noem's chances of being selected as Donald Trump's running mate had decreased due to her stance on abortion and the revelation in her book "No Going Back" about shooting her pet dog and a goat.

No Going Back: The Truth on What's Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward

Check it on Amazon

November 12, 2024: Nomination 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: Publication and Controversy

In 2024, Kristi Noem published "No Going Back", which sparked controversy due to its account of killing a dog and false claims about meeting with foreign leaders.

No Going Back: The Truth on What's Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward

Check it on Amazon

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

On January 25, 2025, Kristi Noem was sworn in as Secretary of Homeland Security after being nominated by Donald Trump and confirmed by the Senate.

April 2025: Deportation Numbers

As of April 2025, the Trump administration claimed to have deported around 140,000 people, though some estimates put the number at roughly half that.

August 2025: Announcement of Unauthorized Immigrant Departures

In August 2025, Kristi Noem announced that 1.6 million unauthorized immigrants had left the United States since January of that year.

2025: Secretary of Homeland Security

In 2025, Kristi Noem became the 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.

2025: Coast Guard Flights Redirected

In fiscal year 2025, over 886 USCG flights were redirected to deportation missions, transporting 9,805 migrants, according to records. The Coast Guard has defended these flights as routine.

March 2026: Appointed Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas

In March 2026, Kristi Noem was appointed Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas, a US-led regional security organization. Her role involves diplomatic engagement, coordination between US agencies and foreign counterparts, intelligence sharing, border security, and counter-narcos operations.

March 2026: Reassignment and Nomination of Successor

In March 2026, Trump announced that he had reassigned Kristi Noem to a new position, "Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas." Trump also announced that he would nominate Oklahoma senator Markwayne Mullin to succeed Noem at DHS. Mullin was sworn in March 2026 as Secretary of Department of Homeland Security.

March 25, 2026: Visit to Ecuador and Awarded National Order of Merit

On March 25, 2026, Kristi Noem visited Ecuador in her capacity as Special Envoy, where she was awarded the National Order of Merit in the grade of Grand Cross by President Noboa, recognizing her role in strengthening cooperation between the two nations.