Trump to appoint Ukraine aid critic as US Homeland Security Secretary
Photo: Kristi Noem, Governor of South Dakota (flickr by Gage Skidmore)
US President-elect Donald Trump has decided to appoint Kristi Noem, who opposes military aid to Ukraine, as the next Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, according to CNN and Reuters.
Two unnamed sources confirmed to the publication that South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem is set to receive the position.
As CNN reports, the US Department of Homeland Security oversees everything from US Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the US Secret Service.
Meanwhile, Reuters notes that Trump initially considered Noem for the vice-presidential role, but his attitude toward her worsened after Noem wrote in her memoirs about shooting her dog for being “untrainable.”
Noem’s statements on Ukraine
In 2023, Noem stated that US assistance to Ukraine was a strategic mistake. She argued that Washington's actions push Russia toward cooperation with China, allowing it to access China’s extensive weapon arsenal.
She also claimed that the US has spent more on aid to Ukraine over the past five years than on securing the US-Mexico border.
Yesterday, on November 11, it was reported that Congresswoman Elise Stefanik will become the new US Ambassador to the UN.
