Jan. 17 (UPI) — The first week of confirmation hearings for President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks concludes Friday with Department of Homeland Security nominee Kristi Noem.
The South Dakota governor is before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Capitol Hill to demonstrate her qualifications for the role.
In her opening statement, Noem said border security is her top priority.
“Border security must remain a top priority as a nation,” she said. “We have the right and the responsibility to secure our borders against those who would do us harm and we must create a fair and lawful immigration system that is efficient and is effective and that reflects our values.”
Committee chair Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was critical of the department, saying it has “lost its way,” as he opened Friday’s hearing at 9 a.m. EST.
Noem, a longtime Trump loyalist, has been among the biggest critics of the Biden administration’s handling of immigration through the southern border.
As governor, Noem dispatched members of the South Dakota National Guard to aid Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s “Operation Lone Star” in 2023 and 2024.
Twenty-two government departments operate under the authority of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. It employs about 260,000 employees who, if confirmed, would be under the leadership of Noem.
Some of Trump’s nominees have faced fiery hearings this week. Secretary of Defense pick Pete Hegseth received a strong pushback from Democrats for his history of partisan attacks, sexual misconduct, sexist comments and alleged drunken behavior in public.
Attorney general nominee Pam Bondi faced questions about her ability to operate independently and go against Trump if necessary. Democrats have also encouraged her to walk back her position that the 2020 election results were not legitimate, something she refused to do throughout a six-hour hearing.
Noem has not been without public incidents that have drawn considerable criticism. In her book published last year, she falsely claimed to have met North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un and admitted to shooting and killing her puppy in a ditch.
