Senate confirms Noem as Trump's homeland security secretary

Under my leadership at the Department of Homeland Security, there will be no political bias to how disaster relief is delivered to the American people 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. Senator, in 3 days, President Trump will take an oath to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law in this country, and And he will do that and I'll be glad to have him back. I don't see, I don't speak to hypotheticals, uh, which is what you're asking me to do, but what I will tell you is that as secretary, I will do the same. I will deliver the programs as the laws in *** hypothetical with all due respect, and I apologize for interrupting you, but my time is limited, as you know as *** *** veteran of these hearings. It's more than *** hypothetical, it's based on experience with President Trump withholding money from Washington State and elsewhere. I need to know from you, will you stand up to the president and say, no, the Constitution and the Impoundment Act requires us, for example, to allocate the $100 billion that we have just appropriated in the last session to. States like Connecticut, $3 million. Texas, $10 million. Almost every one of the states represented here. Will you say no to the president if he withholds that money? Sir, I don't know about the scenarios that you're referencing with President Trump, but what I will tell you is that if given the chance to be Secretary of Homeland Security, that I will deliver the programs according to the law and that it will be done with no political bias. And if the programs uh change or if you decide to change the rule of law, then I will follow that while adhering to the constitution allocate. And distribute that $100 billion. According to how the program is written with no political bias, every American deserves to be there and have disaster relief the same as their neighbors.

The Senate confirmed Kristi Noem as Homeland Security secretary on Saturday, putting the South Dakota governor in charge of a sprawling agency that is essential to national security and President Donald Trump's plans to clamp down on illegal immigration.Related video above: Trump DHS Secretary pick Kristi Noem appears before committee; Blumenthal presses her on disaster relief fundsRepublicans kept the Senate working Saturday to install the latest member of Trump's national security team. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was confirmed in a dramatic tie-breaking vote Friday night, joining Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe. The Senate will next vote Monday evening on Scott Bessent's confirmation as treasury secretary.Noem, a Trump ally who is in her second term as governor, received some support from Democrats on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee when it voted 13-2 to advance her nomination earlier in the week. Republicans, who already hold the votes necessary to confirm her, have also expressed confidence in her determination to lead border security and immigration enforcement."Fixing this crisis and restoring respect for the rule of law is one of President Trump and Republicans' top priorities," Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Friday. "And it's going to require a decisive and committed leader at the Department of Homeland Security. I believe Kristi has everything it takes to undertake this task."Democrats are split on how to handle border enforcement and immigration under Trump, with some warming to his hard-line stand.Still, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said he would vote against Noem. He pointed to "bipartisan solutions to fix the mess at our border," adding that Noem "seems headed in the wrong direction."The Homeland Security Secretary oversees U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Citizenship and Immigration Services. Beyond those agencies, the department is also responsible for securing airline transportation, protecting dignitaries, responding to natural disasters and more.Trump is planning major changes to how the department functions, including involving the military in immigration enforcement and reshaping the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Those plans could immediately put Noem in the spotlight after the new president visited recent disaster sites in North Carolina and California on Friday.During her Senate hearing, Noem was repeatedly asked by Democratic senators whether she would administer disaster aid to states even if Trump asked her not to.Noem avoided saying she would defy the president, but she told lawmakers, "I will deliver the programs according to the law and that it will be done with no political bias."Six people cycled through as Homeland Security Secretary during Trump's first four years in office.Noem, who held her state's lone U.S. House seat for eight years before becoming governor in 2019, has risen in the GOP by tacking closely with Trump. At one point, she was even under consideration to be his running mate.Her political stock took a momentary dip, however, when she released a book last year containing an account of her killing her hunting dog, as well as a false claim that she once met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.If confirmed, she would be tasked with delivering on Trump's favorite issue, border security. The president's goals of deporting millions of people who entered the country illegally could put Noem, with her experience governing a rural state and growing up on a farm, in a difficult position. In South Dakota, many migrants, some in the country without permanent legal status, power the labor-heavy jobs that produce food and housing.She has so far pledged to faithfully execute the president's orders and copied his talk of an "invasion" at the U.S. border with Mexico.Noem joined other Republican governors who sent National Guard troops to Texas to assist Operation Lone Star, which sought to discourage migrants. Her decision was especially criticized because she accepted a $1 million donation from a Tennessee billionaire to cover some of the deployment cost.Noem said she opted to send National Guard troops "because of this invasion," adding that "it is a war zone down there."

WASHINGTON (AP) —

Related video above: Trump DHS Secretary pick Kristi Noem appears before committee; Blumenthal presses her on disaster relief funds

Republicans kept the Senate working Saturday to install the latest member of Trump's national security team. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was confirmed in a dramatic tie-breaking vote Friday night, joining Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe. The Senate will next vote Monday evening on Scott Bessent's confirmation as treasury secretary.

Noem, a Trump ally who is in her second term as governor, received some support from Democrats on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee when it voted 13-2 to advance her nomination earlier in the week. Republicans, who already hold the votes necessary to confirm her, have also expressed confidence in her determination to lead border security and immigration enforcement.

"Fixing this crisis and restoring respect for the rule of law is one of President Trump and Republicans' top priorities," Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Friday. "And it's going to require a decisive and committed leader at the Department of Homeland Security. I believe Kristi has everything it takes to undertake this task."

Democrats are split on how to handle border enforcement and immigration under Trump, with some warming to his hard-line stand.

Still, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said he would vote against Noem. He pointed to "bipartisan solutions to fix the mess at our border," adding that Noem "seems headed in the wrong direction."

The Homeland Security Secretary oversees U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Citizenship and Immigration Services. Beyond those agencies, the department is also responsible for securing airline transportation, protecting dignitaries, responding to natural disasters and more.

Trump is planning major changes to how the department functions, including involving the military in immigration enforcement and reshaping the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Those plans could immediately put Noem in the spotlight after the new president visited recent disaster sites in North Carolina and California on Friday.

During her Senate hearing, Noem was repeatedly asked by Democratic senators whether she would administer disaster aid to states even if Trump asked her not to.

Noem avoided saying she would defy the president, but she told lawmakers, "I will deliver the programs according to the law and that it will be done with no political bias."

Six people cycled through as Homeland Security Secretary during Trump's first four years in office.

Noem, who held her state's lone U.S. House seat for eight years before becoming governor in 2019, has risen in the GOP by tacking closely with Trump. At one point, she was even under consideration to be his running mate.

Her political stock took a momentary dip, however, when she released a book last year containing an account of her killing her hunting dog, as well as a false claim that she once met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

If confirmed, she would be tasked with delivering on Trump's favorite issue, border security. The president's goals of deporting millions of people who entered the country illegally could put Noem, with her experience governing a rural state and growing up on a farm, in a difficult position. In South Dakota, many migrants, some in the country without permanent legal status, power the labor-heavy jobs that produce food and housing.

She has so far pledged to faithfully execute the president's orders and copied his talk of an "invasion" at the U.S. border with Mexico.

Noem joined other Republican governors who sent National Guard troops to Texas to assist Operation Lone Star, which sought to discourage migrants. Her decision was especially criticized because she accepted a $1 million donation from a Tennessee billionaire to cover some of the deployment cost.

Noem said she opted to send National Guard troops "because of this invasion," adding that "it is a war zone down there."