South Dakota ( ; Siouan languages: Dakȟóta itókaga, pronounced [daˈkˣota iˈtokaga]) is a landlocked state in the Upper Midwest, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Dakota Sioux tribe, which comprises a large portion of the p...
Kristi Lynn Arnold Noem ( NOHM; née Arnold; born November 30, 1971) is an American politician who is the 8th United States Secretary of Homeland Security. A member of the Republican Party, she served as the 33rd governor of South Dakota from 2019 to 2025 and represented South Dakota's at-large congr...
Luxury jets to 'blanketgate': Five times Kristi Noem made headlines 2 hours ago Share Save Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu Washington Share Save Kristi Noem is being removed as homeland security secretary after months of controversy and bipartisan criticism. She was the official in charge of delivering on President Donald Trump's mass deportation agenda. Noem boosted deportations to 675,000 in the president's first year, though that fell below the White House's stated goal of one million per year. Trump announced that Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin would replace Noem, who was in the job for a just over a year. Here are some of the headlines she made during her tenure. Alex Pretti and Renee Good killings Immigration operations in the Midwestern state of Minnesota spawned the biggest crisis during her stint. The enforcement blitz sparked protests in Minneapolis and two American citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were fatally shot in confrontations with federal agents. Noem accused Good and Pretti of domestic terrorism. But mobile phone and body camera footage raised questions about her department's accounts of the incidents. Several Republicans soured on Noem and joined Democrats in calling for her resignation. During hearings in the US House and Senate this week, Noem offered condolences to the families, but did not apologise for her domestic terrorism comments. Luxury jets Noem has faced repeated accusations of wasting agency funds. She approved the purchase of two Gulfstream G700 luxury jets, and the department had plans to acquire a third aircraft, a Boeing 737, for about $70m (£52m). Noem defended the spending, saying that as well as being "long-range command and control aircraft", the fleet would be used for deportations. At a Senate hearing this week, a senator showed a picture of a plush bedroom that was apparently on board one of the jets. Noem acknowledged the plane had a bedroom, but said it was being "refurbished". Horseback ad blitz Reports of a $220m (£165m)...
