The United Sates president-elect, Donald Trump, has appointed South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to serve as his secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), according to sources familiar with the decision.
Noem’s appointment came as part of a broader effort to emphasise Trump’s hardline immigration policies, with immigration hardliners Stephen Miller and Tom Homan also expected to take key roles in the administration.
This move signalled Trump’s intent to prioritise his domestic agenda, particularly on immigration, as he prepared for his second term in office.
DHS has been a key focus for Trump, and during his first term, the department saw significant turnover, with five different leaders, only two of whom were confirmed by the Senate. Noem will be responsible for managing the sprawling agency, which oversees U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the U.S. Secret Service. DHS has an annual budget of $60billion and employed hundreds of thousands of personnel.
Noem, a former U.S. representative from South Dakota, was previously considered for Trump’s vice-presidential shortlist. However, their relationship became strained following the controversial release of her memoir, ‘No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward’. In the book, Noem revealed that she had once killed her 14-month-old wirehaired pointer, Cricket, because the dog was not displaying ideal hunting behaviour.
“I did what needed to be done,” Noem wrote, according to excerpts reported by ‘The Guardian’. She later explained that the anecdote was meant to illustrate her capacity to handle difficult and unpleasant tasks when necessary.
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