President-elect Donald Trump has selected South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as his next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, according to two people familiar with the selection.

President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday he has chosen South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to lead the Department of Homeland Security, elevating a loyalist who was once considered a possible running mate to flesh out the team that will oversee his immigration agenda.

The president-elect has reportedly selected South Dakota's governor to oversee the agency responsible for border protection and immigration.

Throughout the country, Noem’s focus on the border has endeared her to the Republican grass roots. The Shelby County GOP, in Tennessee, honored Noem at its annual Lincoln Day dinner over the summer, said the local party’s chairman, Cary Vaughn, because, “She’s a great zealot and advocate for fighting for border control.”

Having served as South Dakota governor since 2019, Kristi Noem is a loyal Trump ally and would help oversee his immigration crackdown in a second term. She was also in consideration for Trump’s running mate before early excerpts of her book revealed she killed her hunting dog 20 years ago.

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