Kristi Noem's appointment as Secretary of Homeland Security was controversial to say the least. As Governor of South Dakota, she was criticized for not following through on her promises of transparency, and her inflammatory comments about indigenous citizens spurred all the state's tribes to bar her from their lands. Her personal history was also problematic, such as the infamous "puppy" incident, and the rumors that Noem was intimate with Trump senior advisor Corey Lewandowski. Now that the secretary
has a few months' experience under her belt, Noem's statements and choices haven't done much to justify the president's trust in her.
During a Senate hearing regarding the Homeland Security budget, Sen. Maggie Hassan asked her to define "habeas corpus," the principle allowing detained individuals to contest wrongful imprisonment in court. Noem called it "a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country" (per the BBC). Even after being set straight by Hassan, the secretary insisted the law could be bypassed at the president's discretion.
More recently, Noem defended FEMA's response to the devastating floods in Texas by stating (via X), "We as a federal government don't manage these disasters. The state does." Online commenters rushed to remind her that FEMA is an acronym for "federal emergency management agency." One even reposted a 2024 tweet from Noem asking for federal help because her state couldn't handle the collateral damage from Hurricane Helene.
Read more: Tiffany Trump's Complete Style Transformation
Noem's 'Cosplay' Has Come Under Fire
Much as she tries to present a tough-gal persona, Kristi Noem's choice of activities and outfits suggest otherwise. She often goes out into the field to meet with security officials, getting in a little on-the-job adventure along the way. Noem has worn firefighter turnout gear, Coast Guard camo, and ICE bulletproof vests on various visits. However, because of Noem's long (and often sloppy) hair extensions, dramatic makeup, and expensive jewelry, critics accuse her of cosplaying for publicity. On her show, Megyn Kelly unloaded on Noem, calling her "ICE Barbie."
Human traffickers. Drug Smugglers. 18th Street Gang members. Spent the morning in Phoenix with our brave @ICEgov and Arizona law enforcement arresting these dirtbags and getting them off of our streets. pic.twitter.com/yH13jWwF1S
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) April 8, 2025
Noem's dress-up stunts have been more than merely annoying. She posted a video of herself en route to join an ICE raid in New York — while the raid was still under way. The spoiler alert may have warned off potential detainees. Followers on X blasted another clip she posted of herself in gear with Arizona ICE agents; Noem was holding a gun with the barrel pointed toward the agent next to her. One commenter asked if the gun's safety was on, and added, "Assuming you are in full gear because you plan on actually assisting in the arrest, do you think manicured nails and jewelry are going to be effective in a combat zone?"
Read the original article on The List.
