Senate panel advances Trump pick to lead Homeland Security

Chris Johnson, CQ-Roll Call on Jan 20, 2025

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WASHINGTON — A Senate committee on Monday evening advanced the nomination of Kristi Noem to become the next secretary of Homeland Security, sending her nomination to the floor on a bipartisan basis with little fanfare.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted 13-2 to approve President Donald Trump’s selection of the South Dakota governor, who breezed through her confirmation hearing Friday. Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. and Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., voted against Noem.

Republican leadership has not announced when they plan to hold a floor vote on Noem’s nomination.

“Throughout the confirmation process, Governor Kristi Noem has demonstrated she is prepared to face the challenges of being DHS Secretary,” Chairman Rand Paul, R-Ky., said in a news release. “I’m proud to support her nomination and commend the Committee for the bipartisan effort in advancing her nomination to the Senate floor, where she will be confirmed quickly.”

Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, the ranking member of the panel, was among the Democrats who voted for Noem’s nomination, along with Sens. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Andy Kim of New Jersey and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan.

Peters said he voted for Noem based on the talks he had with her during the confirmation process and his belief the minority party should have a working relationship with the secretary of Homeland Security.

“We had some long conversations with her, and although we don’t agree on all the issues, I think it’s someone who I can work with in the next few years on homeland security issues,” Peters said. “As ranking member, it’s important to have a working relationship with her, and she certainly has been open to dialogue and conversation. We’ll start working together as soon as she’s finally confirmed.”

Blumenthal, on other hand, said he voted against approving the Noem nomination over concerns she would not have the fortitude to stand up to Trump.

“I was unconvinced that she would have the courage, the strength to stand up to Donald Trump when he asks her to do something illegal or immoral,” Blumenthal said. “She essentially failed to say unequivocally, in my view, that she would follow the law rather than Donald Trump.”

At Noem’s confirmation hearing last week, Blumenthal queried her on whether she’d stand up to Trump if he wanted to withhold disaster relief to a state based on political views. Noem responded by saying she’d refuse to answer hypothetical questions.

Gallego had an exchange with Noem at the hearing last week on whether she would commit to maintaining the Shelter and Services Program, which he said helps border communities like those in Arizona pay for influxes of immigration. Noem said she sees the value of SSP but would not commit to keeping it operational.

Noem would be a key leader in implementing Trump’s campaign promises of a tough-on-immigration policy, including mass deportation of undocumented immigrants. But the agency touches on much more, including disaster relief, efforts to prevent domestic terror attacks, cybersecurity and airport safety, among other issues.

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