South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem is set to make comeback to the top of the political sphere, with President-elect Donald Trump reportedly selecting her to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). If confirmed, Noem would oversee a crucial agency responsible for immigration, border protection, disaster response, and the U.S. Secret Service.
Once seen as a potential running mate for Trump, Noem's political trajectory hit a bump after the backlash over her memoir "No Going Back: The Truth on What's Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward." In the book, she described killing a 14-month-old pet dog on her family farm, calling it "untrainable" and not suited for hunting.
The revelation drew widespread public criticism, and analysts claimed it had damaged her reputation with Trump and his team. Despite the controversy, Noem's loyalty to Trump has put her back in the spotlight.
Now, should she be confirmed as DHS secretary, Noem is poised to take charge of an agency with a $60 billion budget and hundreds of thousands of employees, according to CNN. Trump's selection of Noem comes as his hardline immigration policy and strict border enforcement agenda continues to take shape after the tapping of Tom Homan as "border czar" and Stephen Miller as White House deputy chief of staff for policy.
Noem was the first governor to send state National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas. With key immigration issues and national security at the forefront of Trump's second-term agenda, Noem's new role positions her at the center of some of the most contentious policy debates in the country.
Along with Kristi Noem's potential nomination, Trump is focusing on selecting allies with a hard-line stance on immigration for his cabinet. The president-elect announced late Sunday that Thomas Homan, a prominent figure behind the family separation policy during his first administration, will be his next "border czar." Homan has been making the rounds ever since, promising large-scale deportations and even telling undocumented migrants to "self-deport."
For Secretary of State, Florida Senator Marco Rubio is expected to be nominated. Rubio has consistently adopted a hawkish stance on key foreign policy issues, endorsing a tough approach toward China, Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, and Russia.
Representative Michael Waltz of Florida is being considered for Defense Secretary, CIA Director, or possibly National Security Adviser. A regular on Fox News for his foreign policy insights, Waltz is known on Capitol Hill as a hawk on both China and Iran. As a member of the Armed Services, he served multiple combat tours in Afghanistan and strongly opposed President Biden's troop withdrawal from the region.
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