Kristi Noem

Kristi Lynn Arnold Noem ( ; née Arnold; born November 30, 1971) is an American politician who has served since 2019 as the 33rd governor of South Dakota. A member of the Republican Party, she was the U.S. representative for from 2011 to 2019 and a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives for the 6th district from 2007 to 2011. In November 2024, Donald Trump selected Noem to serve as Secretary of Homeland Security in his second term.

Noem became the first female governor of South Dakota when she was elected in 2018. During that election, President Donald Trump endorsed her. As governor, Noem rose to national prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic over her refusal to issue a statewide mandate to wear face masks.

Living in rural South Dakota, Noem is also a farmer and a rancher. She published her first autobiography, ''Not My First Rodeo: Lessons from the Heartland'', in 2022. Her second, ''No Going Back'' (2024), ignited controversy over her description of killing a young family dog. Her political views align with the Republican party and conservatives on most issues, including strong support for the right to carry guns. Provided by Wikipedia