Kristi Noem May Have Accidentally Exposed A Bad Habit That Won't Score Points With Trump

President Donald Trump might be able to look past (and even approve) of some of the most controversial things DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has ever done, but Noem may or may not have a habit that could be a dealbreaker for the divisive politician. As the secretary was photographed painting the border wall black, netizens noticed a circular container in her jeans' back pocket, questioning whether it was chewing tobacco or, perhaps, ZYN pouches.

There is no evidence that Noem is a smoker, but she did propose to cut funding to the Tobacco Prevention and Reduction Fund in January 2025. The organization not only aims to help prevent people from smoking, but it also provides a helpline for those who want to quit. Still, this isn't proof that Noem indulges in nicotine herself. If she does, however, it would be wise to continue keeping it under wraps, because the president is known to be heavily opposed to substance use.

You'll never find Trump drinking or smoking, and this is because he's seen the consequences for himself after the tragic death of his brother, Fred Trump Jr. "I had a great brother who taught me a lesson — don't drink. And he said, 'Don't smoke.' He smoked and he drank," Trump told "This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von." The president added, "I tell people, no drugs, no drinking, no cigarettes. I tell that to my kids all the time." For Noem's sake, we're hoping that the circular container in her back pocket was lip balm.

If Kristi Noem is indeed a closeted smoker, she might have played her cards just right to forgo a stern talking-to from Donald Trump. The DHS secretary has followed in her boss' footsteps by accusing CBS of "deceptively" editing an interview they had with her in late August 2025. Noem was unhappy that the network cut many of her comments about Kilmar Ábrego García, who was mistakenly deported to an El Salvadorian prison shortly after Trump took office.

In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security alleged that the network cut almost four minutes of footage from the interview in an attempt to mislead the public about Gracia. "CBS shamefully edited the interview to whitewash the truth about this MS-13 gang member and the threat he poses to American public safety," Noem is quoted as saying. The statement subsequently included all the quotes from Noem that had been removed from the final interview.

Noem accusing CBS of manipulating an interview to downplay the Trump administration's accomplishments is something that will definitely sit well with her boss. After all, Trump managed to wrangle a $16 million settlement from the network after accusing CBS of editing former Vice President Kamala Harris' 2024 "60 Minutes" interview in a misleading way in order to portray her as a more favorable presidential candidate. As for whether Noem will sue the network, that remains to be seen.