Kristi Noem's Expenses Raise Eyebrows Among Republicans in Her Home State

Source: Newsweek

Published Mar 29, 2025 at 6:19 PM EDT


Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, while serving as South Dakota governor, billed state taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars for travel as she campaigned for President Donald Trump, a move that has drawn criticism from fellow Republicans, according to the Associated Press. Newsweek has reached out to the South Dakota Republican Party and the Department of Homeland Security on behalf of Noem for comment via email on Saturday.

Why It Matters

The Trump administration has vowed to slash federal spending, root out waste, fraud and abuse, and cut taxes through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Republicans have supported the agenda, repeatedly pledging to return more money to taxpayers. Noem heads the DHS, which she has said needs more funds to carry out Trump's mass deportation plans, the largest in U.S. history. However, her previous fiscal actions have drawn scrutiny from members of her own state party.

What To Know

A lawsuit filed last month by The Dakota Scout revealed Noem's travel receipts for when she was governor, which the Associated Press analyzed and found included over $150,000 in expenses unrelated to state business, such as covering personal and political trips like visits to Trump in Palm Beach, Florida, ahead of last year's election.

The Scout, a media outlet in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, filed the lawsuit against state auditor Rich Sattgast in September, seeking to gain access to Noem's state-issued credit card receipts. Much of her travel was related to various political appearances in a private capacity, such as speaking at conservative events or Trump rallies, rather than state-related business.

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/kristi-noems-expenses-raise-eyebrows-among-republicans-her-home-state-2052687