Kristi Noem's Most Disgustingly Out Of Touch Moments

Kristi Noem hasn't been known for her subtleness. Stepping into the role of Governor of South Dakota at the start of her career, Noem filled her public image with bold makeup, frequent cringeworthy 'fits, and questionable hairstyles. And as she climbed the rungs of governmental power, Noem's cringe turned to controversy. Though the Midwest had known Noem, the governor made her a national mark on the American public as a whole with her controversial 2024 memoir, that was only further complicated by her ties to then-presidential candidate Donald Trump. 

Then in 2025, she took her career to a whole new level, stepping into a larger than ever position: the United States Secretary of Homeland Security under President Donald Trump. In her new cabinet position, Noem's shamelessly flaunted her wealth and status, and she has made plenty of embarrassing missteps and out-of-touch moments in her first year as secretary. From tone-deaf Instagram posts to humiliating performative photo ops, Noem has made sure that her aloofness is known publicly by all the American people. 

Photos of the Homeland Secretary were shared to X by Assistant Secretary to Kristi Noem with the caption, "@Sec_Noem joins immigration enforcement operation in NYC. Getting the bad guys out of our country." In light of Noem's recent confrontation with legal immigrants, including veterans of the American military, that were deported or arrested at a congressional hearing, labeling Noem's work as removing bad people from the country seems completely out of touch with the reality of her work. But this was not the concern when the photos were first shared back in January 2025. 

Many were quick to point out how her role among the uniformed and armed members of ICE seemed utterly out of place and completely out of touch — especially with her curled hair and complete face of makeup that read as distasteful in the name of such a controversial operation. "This photo op would have resonated better, had the Secretary tied her (lovely) hair up in a bun, carried a sidearm, and performed an actual support role during the operation. Otherwise, it just looks performative," an X user commented, referencing Border Patrol's own standards that detail female agents are required to wear their hair pinned back if it's longer than their shirt collar (as Noem's is). Another X user commented on her perfectly painted complexion, "Made sure she got her hair & make-up done in time."

Kristi Noem didn't learn from her ICE photo shoot by March 2025. In a trip down to Central America, the United States secretary visited a mega prison in El Salvador. As she took a tour of the facilities, including a visit to the packed prison cells, Noem stopped for photographs and to film short news segments. Noem's presence was controversial from the get-go, given the Trump administration's deportation of many Venezuelans to that very prison after allegations the immigrants were gang members. But, what really put the final nail in Noem's out-of-touch coffin was a chunky accessory she wore on her left wrist.

Kristi Noem says El Salvador mega-prison photo op was to show the 'consequence of someone who is a terrorist': 'People need to see that image' https://t.co/NsSqor4r7C pic.twitter.com/DRfR4h2U0a

— New York Post (@nypost) April 1, 2025

Snapped in photographs and captured on video, the secretary was seen wearing a very large gold watch. Eagle-eyed investigators soon pointed out that this wasn't just any old watch, Noem was wearing a $50,000 Rolex. Noem's decision to wear the expensive jewelry flaunted her deep pockets in a tacky way, proving just how out of touch she truly is. As the images of the visit came to light, some considered her accessory to be an act of parading in front of the incarcerated people. The backlash did earn a response from the Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman, who explained the luxury item was bought with the proceeds Noem had received from her memoir and is meant to be an heirloom she could one day pass down to her children.  

"We are deeply concerned about your judgment, leadership priorities, and responsibility as a steward of taxpayer dollars," lawmakers wrote in a letter to Kristi Noem (via The New York Times). These concerns were soon felt by the American people after a spike in spending in the Department of Homeland Security budget. A $172 million expenditure in 2025, the price of two new private jets for Secretary of Homeland Security Noem resulted in backlash with speculation that she had spent tax dollars on the aircrafts. The department explained that they were needed for safety reasons, and later posted to X (formerly Twitter) that the jets were for the brave men and women that served in the United States Coast Guard; however, a post further outed the fact that the jets were for senior and cabinet members only, including Noem herself. 

The lawmakers were unforgiving in their letter to Noem, where they outlined a continued pattern of self-serving actions while at the head of the department. "Indeed, from choosing to live rent-free in the Commandant's quarters," they started, "to your frequent appearances at ongoing operations which require a diversion of resources to focus on your security," before dishing out what so many taxpayers have felt with Noem's out of touch spending, "it appears you are routinely prioritizing yourself and those closest to you over the needs of the USCG servicemembers who protect this nation."

"L.A. wouldn't be standing today if President Trump hadn't taken action, then. That city would have burned down if left to the devices of the mayor and the governor of that state," the Secretary of Homeland Security claimed on CBS's "Face the Nation" in August 2025. Kristi Noem's claim painted a portrait of Los Angeles saturated in crime and terror that reigned havoc over its residence ... but this is far from reality. In the LAPD's 2024 report, the city's crime rates were down across the board, with fewer homicides, fewer shooting victims, fewer sexual assaults, and fewer aggravated assaults. Not only were her remarks far from the truth, but they left lawmakers literally laughing at the department head. 

Appearing on the same network where Noem initially made the claims, California Representative Robert Garcia responded to the secretary's depiction of the city to CBS Sunday, saying (via Raw Story), "I mean, is that a joke? I mean, it's just completely outrageous and out of touch." He echoed the same findings that were made public by the police department, not only was Los Angeles not burning down, but was in fact getting safer, "I mean, obviously Los Angeles, besides having seen decreases over the last 10, 20, 30 years overall in crime, the fact that LA wouldn't have been standing had Donald Trump not intervened is just is a fabrication." 

In July 2025, the state of Texas saw disastrous flooding that left many without everyday resources. The state reached out to FEMA (which is under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security) for supplies and support during the time and heard nothing in response. As such, Kristi Noem was at the helm of FEMA and, within her reign as secretary, she had enacted a new logistical step to prevent unnecessary spending. For requested funds over $100,000, Noem herself would have to sign off the expenditures to ensure the organization wasn't overspending relief funds. 

Around the same time, she had announced a plan to gut the structure of FEMA as a whole. "Federal emergency management should be state and locally led, rather than how it has operated for decades," she said (via Reuters). She explained of her vision for the organization, before admitting, "It has been slow to respond at the federal level." While Noem dodged approval of Texas funds, she took to her social media to brag of her latest endeavor that reeked of embarrassing vanity. Posting three portraits of Noem on horseback to Instagram, she asked her followers to pick which would look best in the South Dakota Capitol building. Beneath the post, haters made their distaste known. "Who cares??" An Instagram user commented, "There are more pressing things to think about!" While another simply said, "Instead of signing off support for flood victims, you were getting this byllsh** done?!?"