Kristi Noem
Kristi Lynn Arnold Noem was born on the 30th of November 1971 in Watertown, South Dakota. She grew up with her siblings on a family ranch and farm near the town of Hazel. Her father worked as a grain farmer while her mother managed the household. The family had Norwegian ancestry and traced their lineage back to Ephraim Wilson, who fought in the American Revolutionary War. In the 13th of January 1990, Noem won the title of South Dakota Snow Queen during her senior year at Hamlin High School in Hayti.
Her life changed dramatically in March 1994 when her father died in a grain bin accident. Noem left Northern State University before graduating to take over the family farm. Her daughter Kassidy was born just weeks later on the 21st of April 1994. Noem added a hunting lodge and restaurant to the property while her siblings returned home to help expand the businesses. She later took classes online from the University of South Dakota and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from South Dakota State University in 2012 while serving as a U.S. representative.
Noem entered politics by winning a seat in the South Dakota House of Representatives in November 2006. She represented the 6th district which included parts of Beadle, Clark, Codington, Hamlin, and Kingsbury counties. During her four-year tenure from 2007 to 2010, she served as assistant majority leader during her second term. The state legislature passed 11 bills that she sponsored including several property tax reforms and two measures expanding gun rights. In 2009, she chaired the Agriculture Land Assessment Advisory Task Force alongside Senator Larry Rhoden.
Her federal career began when she defeated incumbent Democrat Stephanie Herseth Sandlin in the general election for South Dakota's at-large congressional seat in November 2010. Noem became the second woman member of House GOP leadership when elected liaison to Republican leaders in January 2011. She helped Speaker John Boehner manage freshman class expectations while pushing for significant cuts to federal spending. Her KRISTI PAC raised $169,000 from political action committees during the first quarter of 2011 alone.
On domestic policy, Noem co-sponsored legislation to federally ban abortion starting from fertilization. She voted for a bill banning abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. On climate issues, she stated in 2022 that science had been varied on climate change and it had not been proven to her that human activity affected the climate. She supported offshore oil drilling and the Keystone XL Pipeline while opposing wilderness designations for Buffalo Gap National Grassland.
Noem took office as governor of South Dakota on the 5th of January 2019 becoming the state's first female chief executive. During the COVID-19 pandemic she initially considered containment strategies before shifting to a hands-off approach. In November 2020, she used pandemic relief funds to promote tourism despite surging case numbers. The state did not implement statewide stay-at-home orders or face mask mandates throughout most of the crisis.
A major outbreak occurred at the Smithfield Foods plant in Sioux Falls where nearly 1,300 workers and family members tested positive. Four deaths were recorded among employees. Noem told Fox News on the 13th of April 2020 that 99 percent of cases were happening outside the facility rather than inside. Health experts later disputed this claim while USDA inspectors contracted symptomatic COVID-19 without protective equipment from their agency.
The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August 2020 became a turning point with nearly 500,000 bikers attending despite expert warnings about transmission. Hospitalizations reached record highs by the 22nd of October 2020 with 355 patients including 75 in intensive care units. South Dakota ended up with the tenth-highest death rate and third-highest case rate nationally. Noem opted out of federal unemployment benefits offering $300 weekly assistance, making her state unique in refusing the program.
In 2020, Noem summoned Sherry Bren to her office after her daughter Kassidy Peters was denied an appraiser license. The meeting included chief of staff Tony Venhuizen and Labor Secretary Marcia Hultman. A week later, Hultman demanded Bren's resignation following pressure from the governor's family. Bren eventually filed an age discrimination complaint and received a $200,000 settlement under nondisclosure agreement terms.
State Senate investigations began in October 2021 when the Government Operations and Audit Committee heard testimony from both parties. Bren testified that she felt intimidated during meetings at the governor's mansion while discussing appraisal procedures for Peters. Republican Representative John Mills introduced House Resolution 7004 on the 24th of February 2022 criticizing Noem's actions but failed to pass with only 29 votes against 38.
Governor's mansion spending became another controversy when reports emerged in November 2021 about taxpayer-funded purchases including imported rugs from India costing $68,000 plus chandeliers and a sauna. A proposed fence around the residence estimated at $400,000 had been initially rejected before being revived based on security team recommendations.
Noem published two autobiographies beginning with Not My First Rodeo: Lessons from the Heartland in 2022. Her second book No Going Back released in April 2024 sparked widespread criticism over specific passages. In a chapter titled Bad Day to Be a Goat, she described shooting her family's 14-month-old wirehaired pointer named Cricket after the dog chased pheasants during a hunt. She also killed a male goat she called disgusting and rancid.
The story generated bipartisan condemnation despite Noem's explanation that tough decisions happen regularly on farms. A fundraising dinner scheduled for May 4 was canceled following death threats received by organizers. Critics questioned whether she could handle national leadership responsibilities given these accounts.
Further controversy arose when Noem wrote about meeting North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un and French president Emmanuel Macron. Her spokesperson later admitted the claims were errors that would be removed from future editions. The Washington Post literary critic Ron Charles described the book as howlingly dull except for the Cricket incident which showed emotional honesty.
President-elect Trump selected Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security on the 12th of November 2024. The Senate confirmed her nomination by a vote of 59-34 on the 25th of January 2025 with seven Democrats supporting the measure. She took office on the 28th of January 2025 when sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas while Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry held the Bible.
Noem led raids on illegal immigrants in New York City within hours of taking office. Her department posted videos showing apparent arrests on social media platforms. In March 2025, she revoked legal protections for 532,000 people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela who had settled since 2022. By August 2025, she announced that 1.6 million unauthorized immigrants had left the United States under her administration.
Ethics concerns emerged when ProPublica reported in June 2025 that Noem failed to disclose past income from dark money groups. A firm tied to her received $200 million in DHS ad contracts during government shutdowns. Representative Robin Kelly introduced impeachment articles on the 14th of January 2026 alleging obstruction of congressional oversight and self-dealing regarding recruitment campaigns.
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Common questions
When was Kristi Noem born and where did she grow up?
Kristi Lynn Arnold Noem was born on the 30th of November 1971 in Watertown, South Dakota. She grew up with her siblings on a family ranch and farm near the town of Hazel.
What political offices has Kristi Noem held throughout her career?
Noem served as a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives from 2007 to 2010 before becoming the U.S. representative for South Dakota's at-large congressional district starting in 2011. She later took office as governor of South Dakota on the 5th of January 2019 and became Secretary of Homeland Security on the 28th of January 2025.
How did Kristi Noem handle the COVID-19 pandemic during her time as governor?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem implemented a hands-off approach that included no statewide stay-at-home orders or face mask mandates. The state experienced record hospitalizations by the 22nd of October 2020 and ended up with the tenth-highest death rate nationally after hosting the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August 2020.
Why was Sherry Bren fired from her position under Kristi Noem?
State Senate investigations revealed that Noem summoned Sherry Bren to her office after Bren denied an appraiser license to Noem's daughter Kassidy Peters. Following pressure from the governor's family, Labor Secretary Marcia Hultman demanded Bren's resignation, leading to a $200,000 settlement for age discrimination.
What controversies surrounded Kristi Noem's second autobiography released in April 2024?
Her book No Going Back sparked widespread criticism over passages describing the killing of a goat named Cricket and another male goat she called disgusting. The story generated bipartisan condemnation and led to the cancellation of a fundraising dinner on May 4 following death threats received by organizers.