pWotD Episode 3230: Kristi Noem

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With 702,642 views on Friday, 6 March 2026 our article of the day is Kristi Noem.

Kristi Lynn Arnold Noem ( NOHM; née Arnold; born November 30, 1971) is an American politician who has served as the 8th United States secretary of homeland security since January 2025. A member of the Republican Party, she served as the 33rd governor of South Dakota from 2019 to 2025 and represented South Dakota's at-large congressional district in the U. S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019.

Born in Watertown, South Dakota, Noem began her political career in the South Dakota House of Representatives, serving from 2007 to 2011. Noem was elected as the first female governor of South Dakota in 2018 with the endorsement of President Donald Trump. She gained national attention during the COVID-19 pandemic for opposing statewide mask mandates in favor of voluntary measures. Noem has conservative positions on most domestic issues, particularly gun rights, abortion, and immigration. During her tenure as Secretary of Homeland Security, her immigration policies generated significant controversy.

Noem is a farmer, rancher, and member of the Civil Air Patrol. She has published two autobiographies, Not My First Rodeo: Lessons from the Heartland (2022) and No Going Back (2024), the latter of which sparked controversy for its account of her killing a young family dog and false claims about meeting with foreign leaders. Donald Trump nominated her as his secretary of homeland security. She was confirmed by a Senate vote of 59–34, and was officially sworn in on January 25, 2025.

Following the killings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti in January 2026, Noem faced questions of judgment from some lawmakers, including calls for her resignation and possible impeachment. After reports of her relationship with the political operative Corey Lewandowski and her use of government funding on television advertisements and private luxury jets emerged, criticism mounted from Congress and Trump. In March, Noem appeared before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Noem's testimony before the committee intensified Trump's dissatisfaction with her. That month, Trump fired Noem and announced that Oklahoma senator Markwayne Mullin would succeed her, nominating him to the position. Noem is set to leave her position on March 31.

This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 02:18 UTC on Saturday, 7 March 2026.

For the full current version of the article, see Kristi Noem on Wikipedia.

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