Kristi Noem's Killer Arms Hint She Hits The Gym After Hours

When she's not throwing her weight around in her capacity as the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem is clearly hitting the gym. Hard. At least, that's what her killer arms are telling us. In a video posted to Instagram in June 2025, the politician's impressively built bare arms stole the spotlight as she thanked ICE agents for their tireless work implementing President Donald Trump's mass deportation efforts. Noem had some notable definition in her arms even without intentionally flexing her muscles, which means she obviously still finds time in her busy schedule to lift heavy weights.

Having muscular arms has become a flex among women of a certain age. And, when the White House staffer initially endorsed Trump for president back in 2023, many people found themselves gawking at her biceps as she warmly embraced the divisive politician. Noem appeared more muscular then than she does now, but that's likely because being the governor of South Dakota allowed for more time in the gym than her demanding new job. In fact, before Noem's social media accounts became flooded with all things politics, she even used to post a post-workout selfie or two.

In November 2022, Noem took to Instagram to share some sweaty snaps after doing a workout with her bestie, Tulsi Gabbard (now the United States Director of National Intelligence), at a local fitness studio. "An early morning workout sesh at @motivsiouxfalls with my friend @tulsigabbard and these awesome Sioux Falls ladies! Thank you, Andrea and team, for getting us prepped for another great day on the campaign trail!" Noem proudly captioned the post. She gave the studio a shout-out again in October 2023, this time sporting some added muscle in her arms.

The gym might not be the only place Kristi Noem frequents as one of Donald Trump's cabinet members. Regular visits to the cosmetic surgeon's office surely must also be penciled into her busy schedule. Noem's drastic MAGA makeover has everyone wondering if she got plastic surgery, and looking back at old pictures, even an unpracticed eye can see that there are vast differences in her appearance. On X, formerly known as Twitter, one critic dubbed the Republican "the poster child for plastic surgery mistakes," alongside damning before and after pictures. And indeed, the Noem that walked among us before Donald Trump first claimed the White House looks like a completely different person.

Republican strategist Ron Bonjean asserted to the New York Times that her transformation was likely an attempt to appease the president. "She practically looks like a member of the Trump family. Maybe a cousin," he pointed out. Stanford law professor Thompson Ford agreed, arguing, "It's absolutely strategic. [She's] signaling that she's going to be Trump's kind of woman. And, at the same time, that she isn't going to challenge him." Evidently, it worked. Despite all the controversial things Noem has done over the years, she ultimately managed to land the high-profile job as U.S. homeland security secretary and a spot in Trump's inner circle, which is exactly where she wanted to be.