US President-elect Donald Trump has chosen South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as his next secretary of Homeland Security, two sources familiar with the decision said on Tuesday.
Noem, once seen as a possible running mate for Trump, is currently serving her second four-year term as governor of South Dakota after a landslide re-election victory in 2022. She rose to national prominence after refusing to impose a statewide mask mandate during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Noem faced widespread backlash in April when she wrote in her memoir that she had shot and killed an “untrainable” dog she “hated” on her family farm. Some Trump advisers said they believed Noem’s popularity fell before the former president’s eyes after that, at a time when she was still a vice presidential candidate.
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Trump picks Gov. Kristi Noem as Homeland Security secretary
Both the Trump campaign and Noem’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Department of Homeland Security is responsible for everything from border protection and immigration to disaster response and the Secret Service.
On Monday, Trump appointed Tom Homan as his administration’s new “border czar.” Homan said he will prioritize deporting illegal immigrants who pose a threat to public safety and national security.
Sources told Reuters on Monday that Trump is expected to choose Senator Marco Rubio as his secretary of state.
With information from EFE.
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