By Steve Neavling
President-elect Donald Trump has chosen South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to serve as the next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, CNN reports, citing two sources familiar with the decision.
Noem’s selection to lead the agency comes as immigration hardliners Stephen Miller and Tom Homan are set to take on senior roles, signaling Trump’s commitment to following through on his immigration pledges.
With Noem at the helm, Trump has appointed a loyalist to head an agency central to his domestic priorities.
The Department of Homeland Security experienced significant upheaval during Trump’s previous term, with five different leaders, only two of whom were Senate-confirmed.
DHS oversees a $60 billion budget and a vast workforce, responsible for agencies such as CBP, ICE, FEMA, and the Secret Service.
Noem, a former U.S. representative for South Dakota, was once on Trump’s shortlist for vice president. However, her relationship with him changed after the publication of her book, “No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward,” which sparked controversy over her account of euthanizing her 14-month-old wirehair pointer, Cricket, because the dog failed to show the traits of an ideal hunting companion.
In her book, Noem described the dog as “untrainable,” an anecdote that she later defended, explaining it was intended to illustrate her willingness to handle difficult tasks when necessary.
