Biography
Kristi Noem served as Governor of South Dakota from January 2019 until November 2024, when she resigned to become Secretary of Homeland Security in Donald Trump’s second administration. She was elected to Congress in 2010 and re-elected three times before winning the governorship in 2018. She was re-elected governor in 2022 by 27 points. For several years she was considered one of the most prominent potential Republican presidential candidates in the 2024 cycle, but a series of self-inflicted controversies — most notably the dog-shooting passage in her 2024 memoir — substantially diminished her national standing.
Noem rose to national prominence during COVID-19 by refusing to issue a statewide mask mandate or close businesses, positioning South Dakota as a model of Republican resistance to pandemic restrictions. She hosted a massive Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August 2020 that became a flashpoint in the debate over pandemic restrictions. South Dakota subsequently recorded among the highest per-capita COVID death rates in the country, but in Republican base politics the defiance was rewarded — she became a frequent guest on conservative media and a prominent Trump\'s approval.
Her 2024 memoir “No Going Back” included a chapter describing how she shot and killed her 14-month-old dog Cricket in a gravel pit after the dog misbehaved on a hunting trip. The passage was intended to illustrate her willingness to make hard decisions, but generated extraordinary cross-partisan backlash. The incident was widely reported when Trump was considering VP nominees, and most observers believe it contributed to his selection of JD Vance. Noem’s path to the VP slot or a presidential run effectively closed after that episode.
- Kristi Noem (R-SD) serves as Secretary of Homeland Security in the Trump administration, confirmed in January 2025 after serving two terms as South Dakota governor — the first woman to serve as governor of South Dakota.
- She was a leading figure in the anti-lockdown movement during COVID-19 — refusing to issue a statewide mask mandate or shutdown order, positioning South Dakota as the conservative alternative to states with strict pandemic restrictions.
- Noem served as South Dakota's at-large House member (2011-2019) for four terms before winning the governorship in 2018 — her eight years in Congress give her legislative experience that complements her executive background.
- As DHS Secretary, Noem oversees border security, immigration enforcement, cybersecurity, FEMA, and the Secret Service — a sweeping portfolio that directly implements the Trump administration's top domestic priorities including mass deportations and border wall construction.
Kristi Noem: From VP Frontrunner to Sidelined — A Timeline
Noem was considered one of the top Republican rising stars of the post-2020 cycle, a credible VP pick and potential 2028 presidential candidate. Her trajectory shifted sharply in 2024 through a combination of memoir controversy and political miscalculation. The table below tracks the arc.
| Event | Year | National Standing | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| COVID-19 refusal to mandate restrictions | 2020 | Rising — national conservative media darling | Defined her brand; South Dakota became GOP model |
| Re-elected governor, 27-point margin | 2022 | Peak — mentioned as top 2024/2028 prospect | Showed broad SD electability; statewide machine strong |
| "No Going Back" memoir — dog chapter leaked | April 2024 | Collapsing — cross-partisan revulsion | Dominated news cycle; blocked VP consideration |
| Trump picks JD Vance over Noem | July 2024 | Sidelined from VP track | Multiple reports cited dog story as key Noem disqualifier |
| DHS Secretary confirmation | January 2025 | Cabinet role; but not VP or presidential track | Career pivot from electoral politics to administration |
| 2028 presidential outlook | 2026 and beyond | Unclear — name recognition remains, brand damaged | Must rehabilitate image; DOGE/border enforcement is attempt |
Key Policy Areas
Border & Immigration
As DHS Secretary, Noem oversees border enforcement, ICE and CBP operations, and deportation logistics. She has been a vocal proponent of mass deportation and aggressive border security. As SD governor she sent state National Guard troops to the Texas border — a largely symbolic gesture but an effective fundraising and media strategy for a governor with national ambitions in a state far from the border.
COVID-19 Resistance
Noem’s refusal to issue mask mandates or restrict business operations became her signature as governor and her primary credential in Republican presidential politics. She framed it as a principled defense of freedom and personal responsibility. South Dakota had among the highest COVID death rates per capita nationally, but the political benefit in Republican circles substantially outweighed the policy cost in terms of her standing with the base.
DOGE Coordination
As DHS Secretary, Noem has aligned the department with DOGE cost-cutting priorities, supporting cuts to DHS staffing and non-enforcement functions while protecting and expanding border enforcement operations. The DHS-DOGE relationship has been operationally focused on deportation logistics and enforcement spending, with Noem publicly supportive of Elon Musk’s cost-reduction mandate in areas that do not affect enforcement priorities.
The Dog Incident
In spring 2024, excerpts from Noem’s memoir “No Going Back” revealed that she had shot and killed her 14-month-old wirehaired pointer Cricket in a gravel pit after the dog killed a neighbor’s chickens and bit Noem during a hunting trip. Noem apparently included the passage to demonstrate her willingness to make tough, unpleasant decisions — a quality she was implicitly pitching as Vice Presidential material.
The response was immediate and cross-partisan. Animal welfare advocates, conservatives, liberals, and even many Trump supporters expressed disgust. The story dominated news cycles for days. When Trump ultimately chose JD Vance as his running mate, multiple reports indicated the dog story had been a significant factor in ruling Noem out. She defended her decision repeatedly in media appearances but the damage to her national political brand was severe and lasting. The “Cricket” story became one of the defining examples of a politician fundamentally misjudging how a disclosure would land with the public.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened with Kristi Noem’s dog?
Noem wrote in her 2024 memoir that she shot and killed her 14-month-old dog Cricket in a gravel pit after it killed a neighbor’s chickens and bit her. The passage was intended to show decisiveness but generated massive cross-partisan backlash and is widely seen as having cost her a shot at the 2024 VP slot.
What is Kristi Noem’s connection to DOGE?
As DHS Secretary (2025–present), Noem has coordinated with DOGE on department spending priorities — supporting cuts to non-enforcement functions while protecting and expanding border enforcement operations and deportation logistics.
Is Kristi Noem still governor of South Dakota?
No. Noem resigned as SD Governor in November 2024 to become DHS Secretary in Trump’s second administration. She served as governor from January 2019 to November 2024. Lt. Governor Tony Venhuizen succeeded her.
Watch: Gov. Kristi Noem Speaks at 2024 Republican National Convention
External resources: Kristi Noem on Wikipedia — Kristi Noem on Ballotpedia