Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Kristi Noem

A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Kristi Noem.

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. Before becoming governor, Noem represented South Dakota's at-large congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

August 2010: Opposed Embryonic Stem-Cell Research

In August 2010, while running for Congress, Kristi Noem indicated she would vote to ban embryonic stem-cell research.

March 2011: Critical of Obama's Approach to Libyan Intervention

In March 2011, Kristi Noem criticized President Barack Obama's approach to the NATO-led military intervention in the 2011 Libyan civil war.

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.

2015: Co-sponsored bill to define human life

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 to amend 14th Amendment

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, without exceptions for in-vitro fertilization or embryonic stem-cell research.

2017: Supported Executive Order 13769

In 2017, Kristi Noem supported President Donald Trump's Executive Order 13769, which temporarily suspended the U.S. refugee program and banned travel from several Muslim-majority countries.

2019: Signed Anti-Protest Legislation

In 2019, Kristi Noem signed anti-protest legislation developed in collaboration with TransCanada Corporation, creating a fund to cover the costs of policing pipeline protests.

2019: Signed Bills Restricting Abortion

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

April 9, 2020: Inspectors allowed to wear masks

On April 9, 2020, the Food Safety and Inspection Service said its inspectors would be allowed to wear masks if the meatpacking plants' owners gave permission; inspectors were expected to supply their own masks.

April 13, 2020: Comments on Smithfield outbreak

On April 13, 2020, regarding the outbreak at the Smithfield pork plant, Noem told Fox News, "We believe that 99 percent of what's going on today wasn't happening inside the facility".

April 2020: Peters Receives Agreed Disposition

Around March/April 2020, Kassidy Peters received an Agreed Disposition regarding her real estate appraisal license denial.

July 3, 2020: Event at Mount Rushmore with Trump

On July 3, 2020, Noem did not mandate social distancing or mask-wearing at an event at Mount Rushmore with Trump present, despite health experts' warnings about the risks. She publicly doubted scientific recommendations on masks.

July 20, 2020: Peters receives letter

Around July 20, 2020, Kassidy Peters received a letter and/or Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law when she failed to meet the requirements of the Agreed Disposition.

October 22, 2020: Record high hospitalizations

On October 22, 2020, COVID-19 patients hospitalized in South Dakota reached a record high of 355, including 75 in Intensive Care Units. Hospital systems rescheduled elective procedures, and the Sioux Falls Mayor advised people to "Wear a dang mask."

November 2020: Promotion of tourism during COVID-19 surge

In November 2020, Noem used pandemic relief funds to promote tourism during a surge in COVID-19 cases in South Dakota. She also did not implement mask mandates, raised doubts about mask efficacy, encouraged large gatherings without precautions, and questioned public health experts' advice.

December 2020: No statewide mandates

As of December 2020, Noem was one of the few governors who had not maintained statewide stay-at-home orders or face-mask mandates in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: Opting out of federal unemployment benefits

In 2020, Noem opted out of the U.S. federal government's enhanced weekly unemployment benefits of $300, making South Dakota the only state to refuse the assistance.

2020: Meeting about daughter's appraisal license

In 2020, after Noem's daughter, Kassidy Peters, was denied a real estate appraisal license, Noem summoned Sherry Bren, a state employee, to her office. Attendees included Peters, Noem's chief of staff, a Department of Labor Attorney, and the Labor Secretary.

2020: Legislation to Repeal Sections of Anti-Protest Bill

In 2020, after a federal court struck down sections of the anti-protest legislation as unconstitutional, Kristi Noem brought legislation to repeal sections of the previous bill and clarify the definition of "incitement to riot".

2020: COVID-19 outbreak

In early 2020 one of the largest COVID-19 outbreaks in the U.S. occurred in South Dakota, including at the Smithfield Foods plant in Sioux Falls, where several workers died and many tested positive.

July 2021: Department of Corrections changes

In July 2021, 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. Later that month, she ended the prison's mask mandate.

August 2021: Review of Department of Corrections

In August 2021, Noem announced that the CGL Group was hired to review the Department of Corrections operations for $166,410. At the same time, the director of the prison work program was fired, and two other DOC employees relieved of their duties.

September 2021: Report of Extramarital Affair

In September 2021, American Greatness reported that Kristi Noem was having an extramarital affair with Corey Lewandowski, which Noem denied.

September 22, 2021: Center for Public Integrity lawsuit

On September 22, 2021, the Center for Public Integrity sued the South Dakota National Guard and the U.S. Department of Defense to obtain documents about the deployment of National Guard members to Texas's border with Mexico and the donation funding it.

October 2021: Committee investigation into 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.

November 1, 2021: Government Accountability Board agenda

On November 1, 2021, the Government Accountability Board set an agenda to discuss complaints brought by Ravnsborg.

December 14, 2021: Bren's testimony before the Government Operations and Audit Committee

On December 14, 2021, Sherry Bren testified before the Government Operations and Audit Committee, stating that Peters received an Agreed Disposition around March/April 2020 and a letter/Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law around July 20, 2020, when she failed to meet the requirements of the Agreed Disposition.

December 15, 2021: Government Accountability Board refers complaints to Noem

On December 15, 2021, the Government Accountability Board referred one of the two complaints to Noem for a response and sent the other back to the complainant.

February 3, 2022: Second complaint referred to Noem

On February 3, 2022, the Government Accountability Board referred the second complaint to Noem for a response and gave her until April 15, 2022, to answer both pending complaints.

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 Noem.

March 14, 2022: Bawek files lawsuit

On March 14, 2022, Stephany Bawek, the 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.

April 15, 2022: Deadline to answer complaints

April 15, 2022, was the deadline given to Noem by the Government Accountability Board to answer the pending complaints.

2022: Climate Change Denial

In 2022, Kristi Noem denied the scientific consensus on climate change, stating that it hasn't been proven to her that human activities are affecting the climate.

2022: TikTok ban on state devices

In 2022, Noem issued an order banning TikTok from state-owned devices, stating that the Chinese Communist Party uses information gathered on TikTok to manipulate the American people.

2022: Ban on private funding

In 2022, the National Defense Authorization Act banned National Guard members from crossing state borders to perform duties paid for by private donors.

September 2023: Similar Reports Published

In September 2023, similar reports about Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski were published by the New York Post and the Daily Mail, which Noem's spokesman denied.

2023: Opposed Subsidized Child Care

In 2023, Kristi Noem stated her opposition to subsidized child care, saying, "I just don't think it's the government's job to pay or to raise people's children for them".

2023: Order against Tencent

In 2023, Noem signed an order prohibiting the downloading or use of any application or visiting any site owned by the Chinese company Tencent, including WeChat, on state-owned devices.

January 2024: Noem's comments on southern border and drug cartels

In January 2024, Noem stated that an "invasion is coming over the southern border" of the United States and the "enemy is the Mexican drug cartels", who are "perpetrating violence in each of our states, even here in South Dakota" and using reservations to spread drugs.

March 2024: Promotion of Cosmetic Dentist

In March 2024, Kristi Noem shared a video promoting Smile Texas, a cosmetic dentist business that she said helped her after losing her front teeth in a biking accident.

March 2024: Noem's comments on tribal leaders and reservation conditions

In March 2024, Noem said that she believes "some tribal leaders are personally benefiting from the cartels being there", gave no evidence to support this claim and that people on the Pine Ridge reservation are scared and live with high unemployment and lack of parental support.

April 2024: Reversed support for a federal ban on abortion

In April 2024, Kristi Noem announced that she had reversed her support for a federal ban on abortion, saying she believed abortion law should be determined at the state level.

April 2024: Controversy over killing Cricket

In April 2024, pre-release excerpts from Kristi Noem's second autobiography, No Going Back, described how she shot and killed her 14-month-old wirehaired pointer, Cricket, after a pheasant hunt and killing chickens. The book also recounts that she killed her family's male goat on the same day.

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

Check it on Amazon

2024: Published Autobiography 'No Going Back'

In 2024, Kristi Noem published "No Going Back", an autobiography that sparked controversy.

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

Check it on Amazon

2024: Agricultural land bill

In 2024, 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.

2024: Tribes ban Noem from tribal lands

In 2024, nine tribes of South Dakota banned Noem from entering any tribal lands, prohibiting her from entering almost 20% of South Dakota. However, some reports indicated that one tribe had not officially banned her.

September 2025: Report on Ongoing Relationship

In September 2025, New York reported that the romantic relationship between Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski is ongoing and that Lewandowski plays a significant role in running the Department of Homeland Security.

2025: Imagining being president

In 2025, in her memoir, Noem imagined herself becoming president and taking over from Biden, suggesting that Joe Biden's dog be killed, after Commander had bitten Secret Service agents.