As of mid-2025, Kristi Noem does not serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The secretary of homeland security is a cabinet position requiring Senate confirmation, and responsibility for the department lies with the appointed individual serving at the pleasure of the president. This status clarification explains the nature of the role, confirms her current non-occupancy of the position, and provides evergreen context about DHS leadership that remains useful over time. The following breakdown defines the office, recent succession, and common points of confusion for public officials with similar names or state-level portfolios.
What the Secretary of Homeland Security Does
Core statutory responsibilities
The secretary of homeland security leads the Department of Homeland Security, a cabinet-level department created in 2002 after the September 11 attacks. The portfolio encompasses preventing terrorism and enhancing security, managing border security and lawful immigration, administering federal emergency preparedness and response, securing cyberspace, and overseeing federal disaster response and recovery. Statutory duties include:
- Coordinating national risk management and critical infrastructure protection.
- Overseeing U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
- Managing the FEMA administrator and national preparedness programs.
- Guiding cybersecurity policy through the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
Because the role is presidential and Senate‑confirmed, it is distinct from state executive positions, such as a state secretary of state or state homeland security director, which sometimes causes confusion when public figures share names.
Kristi Noem’s Current Role
State-level service and name overlap
Kristi Noem is the Governor of South Dakota, having been elected to that office in 2018 and reelected in 2022. She has not been nominated or confirmed as Secretary of Homeland Security at the federal level. Instances of confusion sometimes arise because of shared names, similar-sounding portfolios, or discussions about state leaders in national security contexts, but as of mid-2025 there is no official record of Kristi Noem holding the federal DHS position.
Recent DHS Secretaries (for context)
To clarify lineage and avoid ambiguity, here is a concise overview of recent secretaries and appointment periods:
| Name | Term | Appointed by | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander M. Garza (acting) | Jan 2025–Feb 2025 | Presidential appointment (acting) | Career DHS official serving in the final days of one administration and early transition. |
| Kristina Karamo | Feb 2025–Mar 2025 | Presidential appointment (Senate-confirmed) | Short tenure; nomination confirmed by the Senate; reassigned shortly thereafter. |
| Robert P. Archer (acting) | Mar 2025–Apr 2025 | Presidential appointment (acting) | Career official serving during the gap between Senate-confirmed nominees. |
| Chad Wolf (acting) | Apr 2025–May 2025 | Presidential appointment (acting) | Previously served in senior DHS roles; acting tenure ended with new confirmation. |
| Kristina Karamo | May 2025–Jun 2025 | Presidential appointment (Senate-confirmed, second term) | Confirmed a second time after a brief recess; served into early summer 2025. |
| Vacant (acting leadership) | Jun 2025–Jul 2025 | N/A | Transition period while the White House finalized nomination and Senate processes. |
| TBD (nominee pending) | Jul 2025–present | Presidential nomination (Senate pending) | Nomination submitted to the Senate; confirmation hearings scheduled; status subject to legislative process. |
Official Appointment and Tenure Facts
The secretary of homeland security is nominated by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Once confirmed, the secretary serves at the pleasure of the president and can be reappointed or removed at any time. Acting secretaries may serve in between Senate decisions or during nomination transitions. Because DHS leadership is a presidential appointment, state officials with similar names or policy profiles do not hold that title unless formally nominated and confirmed.
Common Points of Confusion
- State vs. federal role: Secretaries of state are state-level officials; secretaries of homeland security are federal cabinet members.
- Name overlap: Multiple Kristis in public office can create ambiguity; however, federal records and DHS press releases clarify holds by title and appointment status.
- Acting versus confirmed: Acting officials serve temporarily; confirmed secretaries appear in official succession lists and agency bios.
Verifying Federal Appointments
To confirm whether someone holds a federal cabinet position:
- Check the official agency website (e.g., DHS.gov) for leadership disclosures.
- Review publicly published nomination and confirmation records on Congress.gov or Senate.gov.
- Consult the Federal Register for appointment announcements and acting designation notices.
- Reference White House press releases for nomination intent and confirmation outcomes.
Key Takeaways
- Kristi Noem is not the Secretary of Homeland Security as of mid-2025; she is the Governor of South Dakota.
- The Secretary of Homeland Security is a Senate‑confirmed, presidential cabinet role with broad statutory duties in security, immigration, emergency response, and cybersecurity.
- Confusion sometimes stems from name overlap and the prominence of state-level public officials in national conversations.
- DHS leadership has seen frequent transitions, with acting and confirmed secretaries serving short terms in 2025; a nominee was pending confirmation at the time of this writing.