What to know about Trump's transition
- South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, President-elect Donald Trump's pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, faced questions today at her confirmation hearing before the Senate homeland security committee about Trump's planned border and immigration crackdown and whether she would allow politics to influence federal disaster relief efforts.
- During her testimony, Noem falsely stated that the Trump administration "never had a family separation policy" — an initiative the previous administration instituted after Trump took office that resulted in hundreds of children never being reunited with their parents.
- Trump's inauguration ceremony on Monday is moving indoors to the Capitol Rotunda because of a frigid weather forecast in the nation's capital.
Noem pens 'farewell' letter to the people of South Dakota
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem wrote in a letter following today's hearing that if confirmed to lead the Department of Homeland Security, she will need to say "farewell" to the people of South Dakota.
"But South Dakota will be in good hands," she wrote, arguing Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden has been "an adviser, a source of wisdom, and (this is sometimes more important) a source of laughter."
"I trust Larry and our leaders in the legislature to knock it out of the park — because that is the trust that the people have bestowed in them," she added.
Noem wrote in closing that "South Dakota has always been my home — and it is still my home," thanking the people of the state
Biden administration says it will leave TikTok ban enforcement for Trump
President Joe Biden’s administration said it will be up to President-elect Donald Trump to implement the ban on TikTok, which is set to take effect in two days, after the Supreme Court upheld the law Friday.
“Given the sheer fact of timing, this Administration recognizes that actions to implement the law simply must fall to the next Administration, which takes office on Monday,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
Workers prepare for indoor inauguration
Workers for the Architect of the Capitol unload part of the alternate stage for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, which will now take place into the Capitol rotunda due to the cold weather forecasted for Monday.
Democrats push for inaugural oversight as Trump committee rakes in cash
Senate Democrats are pushing for more transparency from presidential inaugural committees, as a wave of cash from corporations and their billionaire leaders floods Washington, D.C., before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.
“The American people deserve to know how these funds are being spent and exactly who they come from,” said Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., in a statement to CNBC after reintroducing legislation to strengthen oversight of the committees.
Biden doesn't plan to speak to Trump again before the inauguration
During a stop at St. John's Church in Washington this afternoon, Biden said that he doesn't plan to speak with Trump before Monday's inauguration.
“No, it’s coming up really quick, I’ll see him at the inauguration,” Biden told reporters who asked if he planned to speak with the president-elect in the next two days.
The two men met at the White House about a week after Election Day and both attended President Jimmy Carter's state funeral in Washington last week.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine appoints Lt. Gov. Jon Husted to Vance’s Senate seat
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has appointed his lieutenant governor, Jon Husted, to the Senate seat recently vacated by Vice President-elect JD Vance.
“I have worked with him, I have seen him. I know his knowledge of Ohio. I know his heart. I know what he cares about. I know his skills,” DeWine said at a Friday news conference from the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus. “All of that tells me he is the right person for this job.”
Sen. Paul expects action on Noem's nomination Monday
Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rand Paul said he expects his panel to act on Noem's nomination on Monday, after Trump is sworn in as president.
“I don’t see a reason why they, Democrats, would maybe not let her go on Monday," Paul said. "I think that Secretary of State [nominee] Rubio, I think there’s a chance we’ll vote on him on Monday."
"We’re going to ask and advocate, it needs the consent from Democrats, but if we get the consent from the Democrats, I see no reason why we couldn’t do this vote on Monday,” Paul said.
RNC Chair Michael Whatley urges party to set sights on 2026 midterms
It’s not too soon to be worrying about the 2026 midterm elections.
That was Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley’s message at the party’s winter meeting, three days before the GOP celebrates as Donald Trump retakes the White House following a four-year hiatus.
Whatley, who was re-elected to his post this morning, said that Trump’s success hinges on Republicans retaining control of the House and Senate in the upcoming midterms.
“Do we want two years of Making America Great Again, or do we want four?” Whatley said.
“Four! Four!” shouted RNC members, meeting in a ballroom of the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.
Whatley, who previously headed the Republican Party in North Carolina, vowed that the RNC would be the “tip of the spear” in the push to win the midterm elections and “protect Donald Trump.”
“Before you know it, the 2026 midterms will be here,” Whatley said. “They’re coming sooner than you think. If we let Democrats seize back control of the House and the Senate, everything changes. The radical left will waste no time putting the brakes on President Trump’s agenda. They will resurrect the worst excesses of lawfare that we have dealt with for the last eight years.”
“We would see headlines about impeachment proceedings and useless Democrat political stunts," he added. "We cannot let that happen again.”
Sen. Ron Johnson claims wildfires can be prevented
Statement
“You know, the tragedy of the California fires, the more we learn, the more we understand that not only was it predictable, it was predicted, which means it was preventable.”
Verdict
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., claimed during Noem's confirmation hearing that the devastation wrought by the California wildfires could have been prevented.
Johnson said you can’t prevent “the initiation of those fires, but you certainly prevent them from raging into the tragedy that they became, the dozens of people who’ve lost their lives.”
“You can’t prevent hurricanes, you can’t prevent floods, but you certainly can try and start reducing the moral hazard that we’ve allowed to explode, quite honestly, by the federal government rushing in immediately, no questions asked."
Wildfires are part of many natural ecologies, and native Southern California plants are adapted to co-exist with them. Centuries ago, before Los Angeles was constructed, the chaparral hillsides of the region likely burned once every 30 to 130 years. It’s a landscape designed to burn.
Over the last century, people have built sprawling developments in fire-prone zones, disrupting that natural cycle. They’ve suppressed wildfires, allowing some vegetation to grow without restraint and adding fuel to the landscape. They’ve also added additional tinder in the form of suburban homes. More people now live in fire-prone areas to provide a spark. The climate can be more arid. These factors mean wildfires are more likely to get out of control.
There are tools to prevent or mitigate wildfires, like stopping their ignition through firefighting or creating fuel breaks to contain the spread. Most of the time, these tools do stop wildfires from advancing into places where people live.
But fire experts say those methods are unreliable in extreme conditions like the ones Southern California faced earlier this month, when 70-mph winds sent embers flying for miles. Eventually conditions will align to make uncontrollable, wind-driven firestorms an inevitability in some high-risk places over time.
Federal officials spend billions on wildfire suppression, and some fire experts say the focus should turn toward proactively preparing homes and neighborhoods for wildfires to come through, rather than stopping them. They say proactive measures could prevent tragedies — but not prevent fire.
“We will never be able to suppress them all,” said Kimiko Barrett, a fire expert at Headwaters Economics, a nonprofit land management research firm. “Wildfire is an inevitability, and it’s also an increasing risk.”
Verdict
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., claimed during Noem's confirmation hearing that the devastation wrought by the California wildfires could have been prevented.
Johnson said you can’t prevent “the initiation of those fires, but you certainly prevent them from raging into the tragedy that they became, the dozens of people who’ve lost their lives.”
“You can’t prevent hurricanes, you can’t prevent floods, but you certainly can try and start reducing the moral hazard that we’ve allowed to explode, quite honestly, by the federal government rushing in immediately, no questions asked."
Wildfires are part of many natural ecologies, and native Southern California plants are adapted to co-exist with them. Centuries ago, before Los Angeles was constructed, the chaparral hillsides of the region likely burned once every 30 to 130 years. It’s a landscape designed to burn.
Over the last century, people have built sprawling developments in fire-prone zones, disrupting that natural cycle. They’ve suppressed wildfires, allowing some vegetation to grow without restraint and adding fuel to the landscape. They’ve also added additional tinder in the form of suburban homes. More people now live in fire-prone areas to provide a spark. The climate can be more arid. These factors mean wildfires are more likely to get out of control.
There are tools to prevent or mitigate wildfires, like stopping their ignition through firefighting or creating fuel breaks to contain the spread. Most of the time, these tools do stop wildfires from advancing into places where people live.
But fire experts say those methods are unreliable in extreme conditions like the ones Southern California faced earlier this month, when 70-mph winds sent embers flying for miles. Eventually conditions will align to make uncontrollable, wind-driven firestorms an inevitability in some high-risk places over time.
Federal officials spend billions on wildfire suppression, and some fire experts say the focus should turn toward proactively preparing homes and neighborhoods for wildfires to come through, rather than stopping them. They say proactive measures could prevent tragedies — but not prevent fire.
“We will never be able to suppress them all,” said Kimiko Barrett, a fire expert at Headwaters Economics, a nonprofit land management research firm. “Wildfire is an inevitability, and it’s also an increasing risk.”
Trump says his inauguration will be held in the Capitol rotunda
In a post to Truth Social, Trump said his inauguration will occur inside the Capitol rotunda because of the expected freezing temperatures on Monday.
"It is my obligation to protect the People of our Country but, before we even begin, we have to think of the Inauguration itself," Trump wrote, explaining that the weather forecast in D.C. will take the temperatures to "severe record lows."
"There is an Arctic blast sweeping the Country. I don’t want to see people hurt, or injured, in any way," Trump continued. "It is dangerous conditions for the tens of thousands of Law Enforcement, First Responders, Police K9s and even horses, and hundreds of thousands of supporters that will be outside for many hours on the 20th (In any event, if you decide to come, dress warmly!)."
"Therefore, I have ordered the Inauguration Address, in addition to prayers and other speeches, to be delivered in the United States Capitol Rotunda, as was used by Ronald Reagan in 1985, also because of very cold weather," Trump said.
Trump was referring to Ronald Reagan's second inaugural address in 1985, which was the last time an inauguration ceremony was moved indoors. Because the inauguration fell on a Sunday that year, Reagan was first sworn in privately before a public event Monday in the Capitol rotunda due to the chill temperatures.
Trump said the Capital One Arena will livestream the event and the presidential parade, adding that he "will join the crowd at Capital One, after my Swearing In."
Noem confirmation hearing has concluded
The Homeland Security Committee adjourned Noem's confirmation hearing just after 11:30am ET. Blumenthal closed out the panel's questioning.
Sen. Rand Paul asks Noem to investigate Biden administration efforts to censor social media
Sen. Rand Paul focused his final questions to Noem on the federal government's coordination with social media companies to restrict speech.
"YouTube censored me, and I despise their policy," Paul said. "They actually took down speeches I made on the floor. But really, I don’t have a legal recourse other than I can complain about YouTube being unfair and not hosting both sides of an issue."
Paul asserted that the FBI and DHS had met with social media companies on a weekly basis.
"Imagine the chilling effect of this," he said. Paul added that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently said that the "pushiness, the coerciveness of government meeting with them was unprecedented ... just sort of telling him he should restrict speech."
"They also threatened him. They threatened to come after him through anti-trust law. They threatened to remove parts of, you know, section 230 of the liability protection," Paul said.
Paul asked Noem if she would commit to no longer sending federal officials to meeting with the media.
"Yes, senator," she said, "I’ll work with you to ensure that civil rights and liberties are protected and that we are not in the misinformation and disinformation space like the current DHS."
Paul also called on Noem to conduct an investigation into people in government who have used "their political bias" to try "to influence speech and restrict speech based on their bias." Noem responded, "Senator, I look forward to working with you on that mission."
In August, Zuckerberg said that senior Biden administration officials pressured Facebook to "censor" information on its platform related to Covid-19 during the pandemic. Last week, Zuckerberg also said on Joe Rogan's podcast that administration officials berated Facebook staff over demands to remove content from the platform.
Noem falsely claims the first Trump administration didn't have a family separation policy
Blumenthal said that he hoped that Noem would support efforts under the second Trump administration to keep migrant families together rather than separating them as the DHS did during Trump's first term.
"Senator, the Trump administration never had a family separation policy," Noem said. "They had a zero-tolerance policy, which said that our laws would be followed."
Under Trump’s first administration, more than 5,000 families were separated under that “zero tolerance” policy in 2018. Trump Cabinet officials voted in a 2018 White House meeting to separate migrant children, two officials who were at the meeting told NBC News in 2020. Stephen Miller, then a senior Trump adviser who will join his White House staff next week, spearheaded the plan, according to the two officials.
Noem then claimed that more than "300,000 children ... went missing during the Biden administration." Analyses have found that that claim, promoted by other Republicans including Trump, is inaccurate and distorted.
"Let’s put aside what happened in the past," Blumenthal said. "There are still 1,000 children who are separated and waiting to be reunited. I’d like your commitment that you’re going to continue the effort to reunite them with their parents."
Noem said, "Senator, keeping families together is critically important to me and to this country. I’m concerned about Laken Riley’s family, that they no longer have her. I’m concerned about the fact that we have people in this country that don’t know where their children are, or people in other countries who sent their children here and they’ve been lost by this administration. So yes, my focus will be to keep families together."
Sens. Paul, Peters spar over drones and the NFL
During an exchange with Noem about the threat that drones pose to U.S. national security, Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., the top Democrat on the committee raised the issue of drones, specifically in relation to the NFL.
"In fact, we just had a recent playoff game that was delayed because of drones that flew into that playoff game. We are very concerned that you could have a drone with a grenade or explosive device, which would be absolutely catastrophic," Peters told Noem, who thanked him for bringing up the issue.
"I look forward to working with you in this committee to address the threats we may face and the usage of drones in this country and in relation to our national security interests and and our homeland security interests," Noem told Peters.
After Peters' question time, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., the committee's chairman, offered his own opinion about drones and football games, telling Noem, "Look, I'm all for the NFL being protected, the Super Bowl being protected. They need to pay. They are a very rich organization. They want drones flying over in New Orleans? I'm all for it. The NFL ought to pay the government if the government's doing it, or we had our private contractors doing it, but they shouldn't just get it for free."
The issue of security for the upcoming Super Bowl has sharpened in recent weeks after a terror attack in New Orleans on New Year's Day killed 14 people and injured dozens more. The Super Bowl is set to kickoff in New Orleans' Superdome next month.
Slotkin asks Noem about Trump's threats to use military, law enforcement to address the 'threat from within'
Slotkin brought up Trump's threats to use the military or federal law enforcement officers to address the "threat from within."
Slotkin said she wasn't sure what Trump was talking about, though the president-elect had suggested that the "enemy from within" were Democrats, the federal government under Biden and his political rivals.
"If the president asks you to send in federal law enforcement to a state without coordination of that governor, would you support that action?" Slotkin said.
"Senator, my job if nominated and sworn in as secretary of homeland security is to uphold the Constitution," Noem said.
Slotkin said that Noem should know as governor "that if Joe Biden sent in 700 federal law enforcement under Secretary Mayorkas, without coordinating with you, I think we can agree, you'd be a little upset."
"People are worried about politicizing of law enforcement and the uniform military," she added.
Noem says government needs more help in overhauling legal immigration
Noem called for an increase in government resources to manage legal immigration if she is confirmed. The response from Trump’s homeland security pick came during an exchange with Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., who argued that to “fully control” the border, the legal immigration system needs to be fixed.
“We need more resources," Noem said. "Immigration has always been a part of our history and will be a part of our future. We just need to make sure that we’re adhering to our nation’s laws.”
Budget shortfalls have hindered the Department of Homeland Security's efforts to deal with immigration in the past year, NBC News has previously reported.
Noem and Moreno revive 'sex change operations for illegal immigrants' attack against Democrats
Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, asked Noem, "How about sex change operations for illegals? How many of those would you suspect that you would fund?"
In response, Noem said, "Senator, I believe that the DHS will be re-evaluating its mission moving forward to not allow that."
Moreno was reviving a line from a Trump campaign ad that ran on TV throughout the country last fall, in which Trump claimed that Vice President Kamala Harris supports "taxpayer-funded sex changes for prisoners."
In fact, gender-affirming treatment, like gender-affirming surgery and hormone therapy, is offered to inmates when it is deemed medically necessary. That would mean that illegal immigrants who are detained in the federal prison system would have access to gender-affirming care if it was deemed necessary for them by medical professionals.
This is the same standard of care that was offered to prisoners under the first Trump administration. But, the standard of care applies to a relatively small number of prisoners. Only two federal inmates have been approved for gender-affirming surgeries, according to The New York Times, and there is no indication that either were illegal immigrants.
Noem blames Gavin Newsom for L.A. wildfires
Newsom is in part to blame for the outcome of the wildfires in L.A., Noem said, saying there was a “failure in leadership” in California.
“I wish we would have had different leadership or a different governor in California,” she said, saying that could have led to a different outcome. At least 27 people have died as a result of the fire with thousands of homes and other buildings destroyed. Newsom has pushed back on similar blame from Trump.
Senators have been in and out of hearing to vote on Laken Riley bill
Senators have been in and out of the Noem hearing to vote on amendments to the Laken Riley legislation, which was named after the Georgia college student who was murdered in February 2024 by an undocumented immigrant.
Noem claims remote work hampers FEMA's disaster response
During her testimony, Noem blamed "many of the agencies" within DHS for "not showing up" because of remote work.
"I've heard since being nominated for this position that many of the agencies within the department are not showing up. They're not doing their jobs," Noem said after thanking Sen. Joni Ernst for asking about remote work.
"Even FEMA, who is responsible for disaster response, that they have the alternative some of these employees to not even respond to a disaster, which might explain the horrific results that we saw in North Carolina when they had such a terrible disaster that impacted families and communities, and FEMA failed them so miserably," Noem added, joining other Republicans who have blamed FEMA for not adequately responding to the hurricanes in North Carolina and Georgia last year.
It’s unclear what she’s referring to in terms of the hurricane response, though she has generally been very critical that too many DHS employees are working from home.
Noem doesn't clearly say whether she or Tom Homan would have control over the border
Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., asked Noem about how her role as DHS secretary, if confirmed, would differ from the job Tom Homan is set to have as Trump's border czar.
"Tom Holman is an incredible human being who has over 30 years of experience," Noem said.
Asked who would be giving orders to agencies like Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Noem said, "Tom Homan has a direct line to the president. He is an adviser to the president."
"I actually want to make sure that we’re empowering the next secretary of homeland security," said Kim, who said he had seen comments from Homan indicating that he would be the one making final decisions about the border and deportation.
Noem said, "Tom and I work very well together and talk and communicate all the time, and we’ll be working together on a daily basis, when we’re in our positions under the new administration, and I would say there’s no authorities being planned to be taken away from the department or myself if I’m in the role."
NBC News reported Thursday that if confirmed, Noem's role as homeland security secretary is expected to be more limited in scope than her predecessors, sources familiar with the Trump transition said.
Noem refuses to say whether she would withhold disaster relief if Trump asked
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., pressed Noem on whether she would withhold critical disaster relief to states in need if Trump asked her to do so, noting that Trump has threatened to withhold relief to California in the wake of the Los Angeles wildfires over a political spat with California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
“We won’t give him money to put out all his fires,” Trump said about Newsom in September. “And, if we don’t give him the money to put out his fires. He’s got problems. He’s a lousy governor.”
“The specter is there of potential discrimination based on politics withholding money from California or other states. It’s not an unfounded fear,” Blumenthal said, noting public reports in Trump’s last administration of his withholding disaster aid to the state of Washington over disagreements with then-Washington Gov. Jay Inslee.
Noem did not answer the question directly, saying instead that “leadership has consequences.” Noem then added the DHS would inflict “no political bias” on its distribution of disaster relief to the American people.
Pressing Noem for a yes or no answer, Blumenthal asked, “If President Trump were to say to you, we’re going to withhold money from Connecticut or Michigan or any of the states, Iowa, because we don’t like the governor or we don’t like the politics of the state, you would stand up to him and say, ‘Mr. President, we need to allocate that money’?"
Noem again delivered an indirect answer, saying she could not subject herself to hypotheticals.
Noem says states should oversee refugee resettlement
Noem said states should have jurisdiction over refugee resettlement after Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., asked her about breakdowns in communication between the federal government and governors surrounding the issue.
Noem said she raised concerns as South Dakota governor about how refugees were being vetted, and claimed she received “no information” from the Biden administration.
“In fact, they kept us in the dark and didn’t communicate to us even what states and where those refugees were being placed,” Noem said. “That is something that we need to change. When we have programs that fall under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security, there needs to be communication, especially with the governor, so that we can coordinate to ensure that it’s the right thing for that state.”
Blumenthal warns Noem not to 'take our eye off the ball' when it comes to monitoring terrorism
Blumenthal warned Noem "let’s not take our eye off the ball" when it comes to focusing on the threat of terrorism since she's made clear that her priority is addressing the southern border.
"I know there’s a lot of focus on the border," Blumenthal said. "We all want more border security. We want to stop migrant crime, but let’s not take our eye off the ball. The governor of Louisiana, for the Super Bowl, ought to be really riveted on the potential for homegrown terrorism as a threat."
Blumenthal added, "I hope that you will help him and other governors to do their duty to protect the people of the United States from that homegrown terrorist threat."
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry is sitting in on Noem's confirmation hearing. The state recently faced a domestic terrorist attack in New Orleans during New Year's celebrations. The Super Bowl will be held in the city in early February.
Hawley addresses migrant crime in his questioning
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., brought up in his line of questioning instances of crimes involving undocumented immigrants, including the death of a 12-year-old in his state, Travis Wolf, who Hawley said was "killed just over a year ago by an illegal migrant who mowed him down."
"There’s so many families in this country that have that same story, and they don’t understand why the federal government is allowing people to come into this country illegally and then perpetuate crimes against their people and then give them resources and shelter and food and debit cards to go take care of their families when they go to work every single day," Noem said. New York City ended its pilot program that provided migrants staying in city-funded hotels with pre-paid debit cards for necessities last November.
A National Institute of Justice-funded study published last September in Texas found that undocumented immigrants commit crimes at lower rates than U.S. citizens.
Noem promises greater transparency, says response to N.J. drone sightings sowed mistrust
Noem promised to restore a broken sense of trust in the federal government if confirmed and said a lack of transparency around the sightings of mystery drones in New Jersey last year typified what she charged was a failure to respond to pressing questions from the public.
“People don’t trust the federal government,” Noem said. “They don’t trust our leadership and this current administration that’s in the White House right now to tell them the truth.”
Of the drones, she said, “this was something they were questioning, and that they deserved answers.”
Noem said Trump would change this.
House committee chair urges Pam Bondi to prosecute Biden’s brother
Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, wrote a letter to Trump’s attorney general pick, Pam Bondi, on Thursday urging the incoming Department of Justice to prosecute President Joe Biden’s brother James Biden.
Comer claimed that James Biden made “materially false statements” to the oversight and judiciary committees regarding what he described as President Biden’s “influence peddling.” Last year, the committees interviewed James Biden in February as part of the impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden and made a criminal referral of James Biden to the DOJ in June.
“I write to encourage the Department under your leadership to hold James Biden accountable for lying to Congress to protect his brother, the soon-to-be former President Biden,” Comer wrote. “No one should be above the law, regardless of his last name.”
Sen. Rick Scott and Noem criticize Biden's 'open-border' policies. Border crossings are down.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., criticized Biden's "open-border policies" and asked Noem how they have affected South Dakota and her communities.
"We certainly have seen the effects in South Dakota that many of your states did. And I would say every state has seen the effects of an open border and the policies that have been under the Biden administration," she said.
Monthly border crossing numbers are now down to 2019 levels after the Biden administration ramped up deportations and cracked down on asylum requests.
"We saw increased crime, but we also saw increased drug activity," she continued. "We saw cartel and their affiliates moving into our state to proliferate trafficking, and we saw people being victimized and a lack of accountability with the federal government."
Noem said that when Texas was addressing an influx of migrants, she sent help from South Dakota using the National Guard.
"Because of this invasion, that it is a war zone down there with what they are going to see, the threats that they would see," she said.
Asked about domestic terrorism, Noem focuses on southern border
Sen. Peters asked Noem what her plan is to address the threat of U.S.-based terrorists.
"Senator, this is a grave concern for our country," she said. "The No. 1 threat to our homeland security is the southern border."
Noem eventually said that "homegrown terrorism is on the rise."
"We see more and more incidents of people that are U.S. citizens, that have become radicalized, and knowing when people are leaving the country and coming back and changes to their behaviors and what their actions are is critically important," she said. "So the resources that the Department of Homeland Security has needs to be utilized as far as identifying those threats and being proactive to prevent them, but also protecting civil rights and liberties in that process."
FBI Director Christopher Wray has warned in recent years that domestic terrorism is the greatest terrorism threat facing the U.S.
Noem: CISA has 'gotten far off mission'
In her confirmation hearing, Noem alleged that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, or CISA, "has gotten far off mission."
"The mission of it is to hunt and harden. It's to find those bad actors and help work with local and state infrastructure, critical infrastructure entities, so that they can help them be prepared for such cyberattacks, and that they can make sure that they're hardening their systems to protect them in the future, recognizing the vulnerabilities that they have," Noem said. "This has gotten far off mission."
Noem added that CISA has "stuck their toe and meddled" in misinformation and disinformation.
CISA has long drawn the ire of Trump and his allies. In 2020, the agency worked to secure the nation's election system against cyber threats. The agency's then-director, Christopher Krebs, was outspoken against false claims made by Trump and his allies about election fraud. He was fired by then-President Trump shortly after Election Day that year.
Top committee Democrat asks Noem about securing the northern border
During his first round of questioning, Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., asked Noem about whether she is committed "to ensuring, along with the southern border, that the northern border is sufficiently staffed to maintain its security and robust trade between the U.S. and its neighbors."
In her response, Noem said she'd spoken about the northern border with Peters and Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., adding, "I think there's been some universal concern from some of the committee members that as we focus on the southern border, and what we're seeing as far as the invasion there and the amount of people crossing, that the northern border would lose focus, but that will not happen."
Noem's remarks come as the president-elect has alleged that fentanyl is flowing into the U.S. through the northern border and has threatened to impose tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, writing on social media that “this Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!”
Noem says that border security is a 'top priority'
In her opening statement, Noem stressed that securing the southern border is a top priority for her if confirmed as homeland security secretary.
"Border security must remain a top priority as a nation. We have the right and the responsibility to secure our borders against those who would do us harm, and we must create a fair and lawful immigration system that is efficient and is effective, and that reflects our values," she said.
Noem said that she would ensure that Border Patrol agents have the tools, resources and support to carry out their mission and said the same is true of the employees at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement who are "responsible for apprehending, detaining and deporting illegal immigrants and getting criminal aliens off of our streets and out of the country."
Noem added that she would also prioritize a "whole-of-government approach" to cybersecurity issues, saying that she would leverage private-public partnerships and "advance cutting edge state-of-the-art technologies to protect our nation's digital landscape."
Top committee Democrat highlights threats facing the U.S.
In his opening remarks, Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., the ranking member of the homeland security committee, highlighted the increasing number of "challenges" facing the Department of Homeland Security.
He spoke about the need to secure the southern border, a cornerstone of Trump's policy priorities, but added, "We also know it's well past time to streamline our immigration process."
The ranking member also referred to the recent terrorist attack in New Orleans and the car bombing in Las Vegas, saying that those incidents were a "deadly reminder that terrorism and radicalization remain very real threats to the homeland.”
In closing, Peters highlighted the threat of cyberattacks and thanked Noem for her "willingness to serve," noting that he was looking forward to a "comprehensive discussion" today.
Thune introduces and praises Noem's record and leadership
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said in his statement introducing Noem that she has experience as his state's governor in "managing hard problems."
"She led our state through the pandemic," Thune said, saying that under her leadership, South Dakota became "a magnet for people from other states who were trying to flee or get away from some of the heavy-handed requirements that were imposed in other states around the country."
When it comes to addressing the southern border, Thune said, "it's going to require a skill set which I believe she possesses."
“Chaos at our southern border and the Biden administration has left our country vulnerable to a whole host of security concerns and terrorist entries to cross-border criminal activity like drug trafficking," Thune said.
"It's going to require a tremendous amount of persistence and determination, which I think she has, an enormous amount of energy, which she has in abundance, and frankly, what I would say is just absolute toughness," he said. "It's going to take some tough and hard leadership to get things back in order."
Paul says Noem would lead an agency 'that has lost its way'
In his opening statement, Paul said that he hopes the committee works in the new Congress "to restore transparency and accountability to an executive branch that has grown unchecked."
"Gov. Noem, if confirmed, you will lead an agency that has lost its way. Your record as governor of South Dakota and a former member of Congress demonstrates your willingness to make difficult decisions in the face of significant political pressure," Paul said.
"You have the opportunity today to address how your background and vision will translate to leading one of the most critical and scrutinized departments in the federal government," he said.
Noem has little homeland security experience, but a history of hard-line border policy
Noem has no significant experience with homeland security issues, but she has voiced staunch and consistent support for Trump’s hard-line border policies and joined other Republican governors in assisting immigration crackdown efforts along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The two-term South Dakota governor, who was previously a member of the House of Representatives, has made immigration a key policy priority. She deployed South Dakota National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border three times throughout her term. Most recently, Noem sent troops to Texas to assist with Operation Lone Star, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s controversial multibillion-dollar migrant deterrence program.
Noem has also visited the U.S.-Mexico border on multiple occasions and slammed President Joe Biden’s handling of the border, voicing support for mass deportations and deterrents like razor wire.
“He is ignoring federal law and allowing people into this country that are incredibly dangerous,” she said in an interview in June on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “And just this week, I think we had four different people that were attacked or raped or murdered by illegal immigrants that have come in over our open border. And that cannot continue to happen.”
Members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota banned Noem from their reservation after she made remarks praising Texas’ efforts to deter immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border.
In her State of the State address Tuesday, Noem told the South Dakota Legislature that “the situation at our southern border is nothing short of an invasion. And over the last four years, America’s border security has been purposely weakened and ignored. Our laws have not been enforced.”
Notably, Noem has also voiced strong support for Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and said issuing pardons for Jan. 6 rioters is Trump’s “prerogative.”
Committee Chair Rand Paul gavels in hearing
Homeland security committee Chairman Rand Paul, R-Ky., has gaveled in the Noem confirmation hearing.
Eric Adams to meet with Trump today
New York City Mayor Eric Adams is expected to meet with Donald Trump today in Palm Beach, Florida, amid speculation that the president-elect could pardon him on federal corruption charges.
Adams spokesperson Fabien Levy wrote in a post on X yesterday that the mayor has made clear his “willingness” to work with Trump and his incoming administration “and that partnership with the federal government is critical to New York City’s success.”
The New York City mayor has signaled that he wants to work with the Trump administration, especially on immigration and border security, after his city struggled to address an influx of migrants in recent years. Adams met with incoming border czar Tom Homan in December.
Noem hounded by criticism after shooting dog
Noem was hounded by criticism last year after detailing in her book how she had shot and killed her 14-month-old dog in a gravel pit.
The governor said that her dog, Cricket, was “less than worthless” and “untrainable.”
She later defended her actions.
“We love animals, but tough decisions like this happen all the time on a farm,” she said last year in a post to X.
Here's what to expect from the committee
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is set to kick off Noem's questioning around 9 a.m.
Noem will face questioning from the committee's members before the committee votes on whether to advance her nomination to the full chamber.
Each senator on the committee will have about seven minutes to ask Noem questions.
The full Senate will not vote on Noem until after Trump is inaugurated.
Kristi Noem is Trump’s pick to run DHS. But that doesn’t mean she’d be in charge of one of its most important jobs.
Noem is set to go before a Senate committee for a confirmation hearing today. But even if she is successful at the hearing and is confirmed, as she is expected to be, her role as homeland security secretary is expected to be more limited in scope than that of her predecessors, sources familiar with the Trump transition told NBC News.