Kristi Noem, the Governor of South Dakota, was confirmed today by the Senate as the new Secretary of Homeland Security, with a 59-34 vote in her favor.
This confirmation process was much less contentious than Friday’s vote, where former Fox News host Pete Hegseth was confirmed as defense secretary with a narrow 51-50 vote, requiring Vice President JD Vance to cast the tiebreaker.
In a show of bipartisan support, seven Democrats joined Republicans in confirming Noem: Senators John Fetterman (D-PA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).
Senator Hassan, shortly after the vote, shared her thoughts on X, saying, “I voted to confirm Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security because she has demonstrated that she’s willing to work together to tackle the challenges facing our country. While there are areas where we disagree, I believe she has the qualifications necessary for the role.”
At 53, Noem will oversee key departments including US Customs and Border Protection, the US Secret Service, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), among others.
In November, President Trump praised Noem’s commitment to border security, stating, “Kristi has been very strong on border security. 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.”
ICE has already started conducting deportation raids, a move that aligns with President Trump’s agenda.
Senator John Thune, a fellow South Dakota Republican and the new majority leader of the Senate, expressed confidence in Noem’s abilities, saying, “Fixing this crisis and restoring respect for the rule of law is one of President Trump and Republicans’ top priorities. And it’s going to require a decisive and committed leader at the Department of Homeland Security. I believe Kristi has everything it takes to undertake this task.”
During her confirmation hearing, Noem, who had been considered as a potential vice-presidential candidate for Trump, highlighted the importance of border security. She promised to prioritize creating a “fair and lawful immigration system” and ensuring that Border Patrol agents have the resources they need.
She also committed to reinstating Trump’s Remain in Mexico policy and ending the parole program for migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, which she argued allows migrants to enter the US freely at taxpayers’ expense. “There’s several of these programs that need to be eliminated, and we need to ensure that we’re following legal immigration laws,” Noem emphasized.
Earlier this week, the Senate also easily confirmed Marco Rubio as Secretary of State.
Additionally, Scott Bessent, Trump’s nominee for Treasury Secretary, successfully passed a procedural vote on Saturday, paving the way for his final confirmation vote, which is expected on Monday.
A procedural vote for Bessent’s nomination is also anticipated on Saturday.
Looking ahead, Tulsi Gabbard’s confirmation hearing for Director of National Intelligence is set for January 30, and there will also be upcoming hearings for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
{Matzav.com}