Trump expected to nominate Kristi Noem as Homeland Security secretary

Washington — President-elect Donald Trump is expected to name South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as his nominee for Secretary of Department of Homeland Security, two sources familiar with the transition discussions confirm to CBS News.

CNN first reported the development, which comes as Trump makes a slew of announcements for nominations for top roles in his incoming administration. Noem, a  Republican governor, had been among a list of possible running mates for Trump earlier this year. But questions swirled about her political future after she detailed in her new book a story about killing her dog decades ago, sparking intense criticism, as well as claims that appeared to be false about meeting Kim Jong Un. 

Noem, 52, is serving a second term as governor of the Mount Rushmore State, where she gained national attention following a refusal to employ a mask mandate policy in the state during the COVID-19 pandemic. When she took office in 2019, she became the first woman to serve as governor of South Dakota. 

The president-elect has announced a number of nominees and appointments since winning a decisive victory in the 2024 election last week.

Tom Homan‘s name had previously been floated for DHS secretary, according to multiple sources familiar with the transition discussions. Trump announced that Homan will serve as “border czar” in his incoming administration. Chad Wolf, the former acting DHS Secretary under Trump’s first administration, is another name that had been raised by Trump insiders as a top contender for DHS secretary, according to two sources close to the transition.