(NewsNation) — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is set to become the latest addition to the incoming Trump administration.
Noem, who would have to vacate her position as governor, is reported to be President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
She was considered to be a potential running mate for the Republican nominee before he decided upon Vice President-elect JD Vance.
Who is Kristi Noem?
Noem, 52, is the 33rd governor of South Dakota and has held the position since 2019. She is the first female governor in the history of the state.
She grew up in Hamlin County, South Dakota, and holds a B.A. in political science from the University of South Dakota.
Noem’s political career began in 2006 after winning a seat as a Republican in the South Dakota House of Representatives.
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In 2018, after several years in Congress, Noem ran for governor of her home state. She triumphed over Democratic nominee Billie Sutton.
Noem won reelection in 2022 after defeating Jamie Smith. She is known for her anti-abortion, anti-mask mandate policies and opposition to same-sex marriage and transgender athletes in women’s sports.
Time as South Dakota governor
Noem has been a staunch defender of Trump during her time in the governor’s office.
Many of her policies have been in lockstep with the 45th president, including resisting COVID-19 containment initiatives.
Noem was one of a select few governors who did not mandate mask-wearing or social distancing, rebuking the effectiveness of masks against the virus.
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She deployed the state’s National Guard to the Texas border to assist with the migrant crisis stemming from Mexico. The initiative was bankrolled by the foundation of Tennessee billionaire Willis Johnson, per Time Magazine.
On multiple occasions, Noem vetoed bills that would have allowed transgender athletes to participate in women’s sports. She introduced H.B. 1217 into law, meaning athletes would have to participate on teams according to their biological sex.
In 2021, Noem amended South Dakota’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act, allowing businesses to deny services based on religious beliefs.
Controversies and personal life
Noem was considered a possible vice presidential candidate earlier this year until she received criticism for writing about how she killed her dog following a hunting trip.
In her second autobiography, “No Going Back,” Noem revealed she shot Cricket, a 14-month-old wirehaired pointer. Noem described the dog as “dangerous” and “untrainable.”
She also acknowledged removing a reference to meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un from her book during a May interview on NewsNation’s “Elizabeth Vargas Reports.”
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Noem said the anecdote “should not have been put in the book. And I asked (the publishers) to have it taken out, and it is.”
She has been married to her husband, Bryon Noem, since 1992 and shares three children with him. Noem and her team have denied several reports she was having an extramarital affair with Trump aide Corey Lewandowski.
NewsNation’s Damita Menezes contributed to this report.
