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Confirmation process for Kristi Noem for secretary of homeland security

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Administration: Donald Trump's Cabinet • Confirmation process for Cabinet nominees • Confirmation votes by senator • Executive orders and actions • Key legislation • Vetoes • White House staff • Ambassadors • Special envoys • Multistate lawsuits • Supreme Court emergency orders
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First term: Transition • Confirmation process for Cabinet nominees • Cabinet • Administration

President-elect Donald Trump (R) announced South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem (R) as his nominee for secretary of homeland security on November 12, 2024.

The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs held a confirmation hearing for Noem on January 17, 2025.[1] The Senate confirmed Noem in a 59-34 vote on January 25, 2025.[2] Click here to read more about the confirmation process.

Trump said of Noem's nomination, "Kristi has been very strong on Border Security. She was the first Governor to send National Guard Soldiers to help Texas fight the Biden Border Crisis, and they were sent a total of eight times. She will work closely with 'Border Czar' Tom Homan to secure the Border, and will guarantee that our American Homeland is secure from our adversaries."[3]

This page includes the following information about the confirmation process:

Confirmation process

See also: Confirmation process for Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees, 2025

Confirmation vote roll call

See also: How senators voted on Trump Cabinet nominees, 2025

The Senate confirmed Noem in a 59-34 vote on January 25, 2025.[4]

Summary of Senate vote on Kristi Noem's nomination for secretary of homeland security (January 25, 2025)
Party Votes for Votes against Not voting
Democratic Party Democrats 7 33 5
Republican Party Republicans 52 0 1
Grey.png Independents 0 1 1
Totals 59 34 7


Seven Democrats voted in favor of her nomination:


Senate confirmation hearing

The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs held a confirmation hearing for Noem on January 17, 2025.[5]

Kristi Noem Senate confirmation hearing, January 17, 2025

Financial disclosures

The Office of Government Ethics released Noem's financial disclosures in January 2025. Click here to review them.

About the nominee

Noem was born in 1971 in Watertown, South Dakota. She attended Northern State University but withdrew to return to the family farm after her father's death.[6] She took over the farm with the rest of her family and also operated a hunting lodge.[7]

In 2006, Noem won an election to the South Dakota House of Representatives for District 6. She was elected assistant majority leader in her second term.[7]

In 2010, Noem was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating incumbent Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D). She represented South Dakota's At-Large Congressional District from 2011 to 2019. During her first term, Republican leadership elected her to serve as a liaison between freshmen Republicans and more senior Republicans.[8] In 2017, she served on the Ways and Means Committee and advocated for passing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Noem said the bill would "be a big benefit to the country, and specifically to South Dakota."[9] While serving in Congress, she earned her bachelor's degree in political science from South Dakota State University.[6]

In 2016, Noem announced her intention to run for governor of South Dakota in 2018, saying, "We could use some fresh ideas from someone who’s had to hustle to make a dollar and pinch a penny to make it last. That’s been my experience my whole life as a farmer, a rancher and a small business owner."[10] Vox's Dylan Scott wrote that Noem campaigned "on keeping taxes low...cutting government spending, and introducing more government transparency."[11] She defeated Attorney General Marty Jackley (R) in the Republican primary 56.0% to 44.0%. She defeated Billie Sutton (D) in the general election 51.0% to 47.6%, becoming the first woman elected governor of South Dakota.[11]

During Noem's first term, she oversaw the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Argus Leader's Joe Sneve said: "While other governors issued lockdowns, business closures and mask mandates, Noem...left decisions about whether to require face coverings be worn in public or social distancing guidelines to be enforced up to local communities."[12] Argus Leader's Trevor J. Mitchell said that Noem's handling of the pandemic "made her a household name and set her on the path to Donald Trump’s shortlist for vice-presidential candidates."[13] She also signed laws intending to increase the availability of broadband internet and increasing support for a statewide campaign to reduce methamphetamine use.[14]

In 2022, Noem was re-elected, defeating Jamie Smith (D) 62.0% to 35.2%. In her victory speech, Noem said that her second-term priority was "returning $100 million of tax cuts to the South Dakota people."[15] In 2023, she signed a bill to cut the state's sales tax from 4.5% to 4.2%.[16] Also, in 2023, she proposed a 4% increase in spending on education, healthcare, and state workers. She said her proposal would make it so that South Dakota "can continue to attract and retain the best and the brightest."[17] The legislature passed and Noem signed the budget in 2024.[18]

The Washington Post's Amber Phillips wrote that Noem's "approach to politics emulates Trump, from her frequent social media and video postings to her regular Fox News appearances and her penchant for jumping into controversy on social issues."[19]


About the confirmation process

See also: Appointment confirmation process

The confirmation process includes several rounds of investigation and review, beginning with the submission of a personal financial disclosure report and a background check. The nominee is then evaluated in a committee hearing, which allows for a close examination of the nominee and his or her views on public policy. Supporters and opponents of the nominee may also testify.[20]

Once committee hearings are closed, most committees have a set amount of time before a vote is taken on whether the nominee is reported to the Senate favorably, unfavorably, or without recommendation. The nomination will then go to the Senate floor for consideration. Once the nomination is considered by the Senate, unlimited debate is allowed until a majority of the Senate votes to invoke cloture and close debate. Following a vote of cloture, the Senate conducts a simple majority vote on whether to confirm, reject, or take no action on the nomination.[21]

About the Cabinet

A presidential Cabinet is a group of senior federal officials who advise the president on the issues and activities of their respective agencies. The Cabinet tradition is rooted in Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 of the Constitution, which states that the president "may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices."[22]

While not explicitly identified in the Constitution, the Cabinet secretaries are the 15 agency heads who are in the presidential line of succession. The vice president is also part of the Cabinet. These positions, in order of presidential succession, are:

The number of officials in a Cabinet can vary across presidential administrations. The following additional positions are part of Trump's second term presidential Cabinet:

All of the positions above, except for Vice President and White House Chief of Staff, require Senate confirmation.

Other Trump Cabinet nominees

See also: Donald Trump's Cabinet, 2025 and Confirmation process for Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees, 2025

The following table provides an overview of the status, confirmation hearings, and committee and Senate votes for each of Trump's Cabinet and Cabinet-rank nominees in his second term.

Overview of confirmation process for Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees in his second term
Nominee Position Announced Senate committee Confirmation hearing Committee vote Senate vote Status
Marco Rubio Secretary of State November 13, 2024 Foreign Relations January 15, 2025 Favorable (22-0) 99-0 Confirmed on January 20, 2025
Scott Bessent Secretary of the Treasury November 22, 2024 Finance January 16, 2025 Favorable (16-11) 68-29 Confirmed on January 27, 2025
Pete Hegseth Secretary of Defense November 12, 2024 Armed Services January 14, 2025 Favorable (14-13) 51-50 Confirmed on January 24, 2025
Matt Gaetz Attorney General November 13, 2024 Judiciary N/A N/A N/A Withdrawn on November 21, 2024
Pam Bondi Attorney General November 21, 2024 Judiciary January 15-16, 2025 Favorable (12-10) 54-46 Confirmed on February 4, 2025
Doug Burgum Secretary of the Interior November 14, 2024 Energy and Natural Resources January 16, 2025 Favorable (18-2) 80-17 Confirmed on January 30, 2025
Brooke Rollins Secretary of Agriculture November 23, 2024 Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry January 23, 2025 Favorable (23-0) 72-28 Confirmed on February 13, 2025
Howard Lutnick Secretary of Commerce November 19, 2024 Commerce, Science, and Transportation January 29, 2025 Favorable (16-12) 51-45 Confirmed on February 18, 2025
Lori Chavez-DeRemer Secretary of Labor November 22, 2024 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions February 19, 2025 Favorable (13-9) 67-32 Confirmed on March 10, 2025
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Secretary of Health and Human Services November 14, 2024 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
/ Finance		 January 30, 2025 / January 29, 2025 N/A / Favorable (14-13) 52-48 Confirmed on February 13, 2025
Scott Turner Secretary of Housing and Urban Development November 22, 2024 Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs January 16, 2025 Favorable (13-11) 55-44 Confirmed on February 5, 2025
Sean Duffy Secretary of Transportation November 18, 2024 Commerce, Science, and Transportation January 15, 2025 Favorable (28-0) 77-22 Confirmed on January 28, 2025
Chris Wright Secretary of Energy November 16, 2024 Energy and Natural Resources January 15, 2025 Favorable (15-5) 59-38 Confirmed on February 3, 2025
Linda McMahon Secretary of Education November 19, 2024 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions February 13, 2025 Favorable (12-11) 51-45 Confirmed on March 3, 2025
Doug Collins Secretary of Veterans Affairs November 14, 2024 Veterans' Affairs January 21, 2025 Favorable (18-1) 77-23 Confirmed on February 4, 2025
Kristi Noem Secretary of Homeland Security November 12, 2024 Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs January 17, 2025 Favorable (13-2) 59-34 Confirmed on January 25, 2025
Jamieson Greer U.S. Trade Representative November 26, 2024 Finance February 6, 2025 Favorable (15-12) 56-43 Confirmed on February 26, 2025
Tulsi Gabbard Director of National Intelligence November 13, 2024 Intelligence (Select) January 30, 2025 Favorable (9-8) 52-48 Confirmed on February 12, 2025
Elise Stefanik U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations November 11, 2024 Foreign Relations January 21, 2025 Favorable (Voice Vote) N/A Withdrawn on March 27, 2025
Michael Waltz U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations May 1, 2025 Foreign Relations July 15, 2025 Favorable (12-10) TBD Passed committee
Russell Vought Director of the Office of Management and Budget November 22, 2024 Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs / Budget January 15, 2025 / January 22, 2025 Favorable (8-7) / Favorable (11-0) 53-47 Confirmed on February 6, 2025
Lee Zeldin Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency November 11, 2024 Environment and Public Works January 16, 2025 Favorable (11-8) 56-42 Confirmed on January 29, 2025
Kelly Loeffler Administrator of the Small Business Administration December 4, 2024 Small Business and Entrepreneurship January 29, 2025 Favorable (12-7) 52-46 Confirmed on February 19, 2025
John Ratcliffe Director of the Central Intelligence Agency November 12, 2024 Intelligence (Select) January 15, 2025 Favorable (14-3) 74-25 Confirmed on January 23, 2025


Historical comparison of Cabinet confirmations

Comparison to Biden administration

See also: Joe Biden's Cabinet

The following chart displays how many days it took for the Cabinet secretaries of President Joe Biden (D) to be confirmed after the inauguration in 2021. This chart includes the main 15 Cabinet positions.

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, "Nomination of Kristi Noem," accessed January 13, 2025
  2. ↑ The Hill, "Senate confirms Noem to lead Department of Homeland Security," January 25, 2025
  3. ↑ X, "Karoline Leavitt on November 12, 2024," accessed November 13, 2024
  4. ↑ Senate.gov, "Roll Call Vote 119th Congress - 1st Session," January 25, 2025
  5. ↑ Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, "Nomination of Kristi Noem," accessed January 13, 2025
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Iowa State University, "Kristi Noem," accessed September 11, 2024
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Human Events, "Rep. Kristi Noem: Head of the Class," accessed September 11, 2024
  8. ↑ The Hill, "House GOP elects freshmen Reps. Noem, Scott to leadership," accessed September 12, 2024
  9. ↑ South Dakota Public Broadcasting, "SD Congressional Delegation Pushes Forward On Tax Reform Despite Doubts," accessed September 12, 2024
  10. ↑ Roll Call, "South Dakota Rep. Kristi Noem to Run for Governor in 2018," accessed September 12, 2024
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Vox, "Kristi Noem elected first woman governor of South Dakota," accessed September 12, 2024
  12. ↑ Argus Leader, "As Noem scores points for her pro-liberty approach to COVID-19, here's a look at what she's done," accessed September 12 2024
  13. ↑ Argus Leader, "Who is Kristi Noem? Everything to know about the South Dakota governor," accessed September 12, 2024
  14. ↑ Argus Leader, "South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem announces re-election campaign for 2022 election," accessed September 12, 2024
  15. ↑ South Dakota Public Broadcasting, "Noem wins second term as South Dakota governor," accessed September 12, 2024
  16. ↑ Associated Press, "South Dakota to cut sales tax by $104M annually for 4 years," accessed September 12, 2024
  17. ↑ KELO, "Gov. Kristi Noem’s budget address ahead of 2024 South Dakota Legislative Session," accessed September 12, 2024
  18. ↑ Keloland,' "No vetoes: Gov. Noem signs final bills, including budget," accessed September 24, 2024
  19. ↑ The Washington Post, "Why South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is so polarizing," accessed September 12, 2024
  20. ↑ CRS Report for Congress, "Senate Confirmation Process: An Overview," accessed July 24, 2013
  21. ↑ Congressional Research Service, "Senate Consideration of Presidential Nominations: Committee and Floor Procedure," April 4, 2019
  22. ↑ Constitution Center, "Presidential Advisors," accessed November 18, 2020
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