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July 27, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Civic Brief • Us Politics

Kristi Noem

Kristi Noem is an American Republican politician from South Dakota who has served as governor, U.S.

Updated July 27, 20261 min readCited sources

Kristi Noem is an American Republican politician from South Dakota who has served as governor, U.S. representative, and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security. She was the first female governor of South Dakota and later became the 8th Secretary of Homeland Security in the Trump administration.

What it is

Kristi Noem is a Republican politician who has held multiple high-level offices: U.S. Representative for South Dakota (2011–2019), Governor of South Dakota (2019–2025), and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security (2025–2026). She is also a rancher, farmer, small business owner, mother, and grandmother.

Why it matters

Noem was the first female governor of South Dakota and later served in the federal cabinet as Secretary of Homeland Security. Her 2024 book drew widespread controversy for describing the killing of her dog and for claims later reported as inaccurate, making her a polarizing figure in national politics.

Key details

Noem was born in Watertown, South Dakota, and raised on her family’s farm. She served in the South Dakota legislature before entering the U.S. House. In March 2026, she was appointed U.S. Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas. She has written two books: 'Not My First Rodeo' (2022) and 'No Going Back' (2024).

In short

  • First female governor of South Dakota, serving 2019–2025.
  • Served as U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security from January 2025 to March 2026.
  • Author of two memoir-style books, including the controversial 'No Going Back' (2024).
  • Appointed U.S. Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas in March 2026.

Quick questions

Who is Kristi Noem?
Kristi Noem is an American Republican politician from South Dakota who has served as governor, a U.S. representative, and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security.
What happened to Kristi Noem's dog?
Noem wrote that she killed her dog, Cricket, after describing it as aggressive and untrainable; the account became widely controversial after publication of her 2024 book.
Is Kristi Noem running for president?
The available sources do not show that she is running for president. Britannica says she opted not to enter the 2024 presidential contest despite speculation.

Sources

  1. Archives of Women's Political Communication — https://awpc.cattcenter.iastate.edu/directory/kristi-noem
    Supports: Birth date; career timeline; current role as Special Envoy in 2026.
  2. U.S. Department of Homeland Security — https://www.dhs.gov/person/kristi-noem
    Supports: Secretary of Homeland Security role; prior governorship; rancher/farmer background.
  3. Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kristi-Noem
    Supports: Birth date; office history; note that she did not run in the 2024 presidential contest; departure from DHS in 2026.
  4. Western Governors' Association — https://www.westgov.org/about/our-governors-bio/kristi-noem
    Supports: Election as South Dakota's 33rd governor and first female governor.
  5. Office of the Historian, U.S. House of Representatives — https://history.house.gov/People/Detail/19064
    Supports: U.S. House service and book title 'Not My First Rodeo'.
  6. USA Today — https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/01/25/who-is-kristi-noem-confirmation-vote-homeland-security/77948176007/
    Supports: Dog controversy and summary of book 'No Going Back'.