President-elect Donald Trump continues to shape his cabinet, set to take office in January. Trump has nominated South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to lead the Department of Homeland Security. She will work closely with Border Czar Tom Homan to \u201csecure the border and ensure that our American homeland is safe from our enemies,\u201d Trump stated.<\/p>\n
Kristi Noem, a devout Christian and the first woman elected governor of South Dakota, is now in her second term. Reflecting on her leadership in South Dakota, Trump highlighted Noem\u2019s dedication to border security: \u201cKristi has been very strong on border security. She was the first governor to send National Guard troops to aid Texas during the Biden Border Crisis\u2014a commitment she\u2019s upheld eight times.\u201d<\/p>\n
Noem has faced criticism for controversial remarks suggesting South Dakota\u2019s indigenous tribes benefit from the drug cartel industry. This statement led to her being banned from all nine reservations in the state.<\/p>\n
Although not a border state governor, Noem has consistently taken a tough stance on immigration. In 2010, she supported an effort to block the Obama administration\u2019s lawsuit against Arizona\u2019s immigration law. During Trump\u2019s first term, she called for punitive actions against sanctuary cities that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.<\/p>\n
Noem is also known as a strong supporter of Israel. Earlier this year, she signed a bill mandating that the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance\u2019s (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism be used in discrimination investigations. The bill, titled \u201cEnsuring the Safety of God\u2019s Chosen People,\u201d garnered praise from former Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, who called Noem a \u201ctrue friend of Israel.\u201d<\/p>\n
In March 2024, Noem faced a lawsuit from Travelers United, a consumer advocacy group, after endorsing a Texas-based cosmetic dentist without disclosing a financial relationship. Travelers United claimed Noem had begun \u201cworking as a social media influencer,\u201d promoting services without transparency. Noem clarified on X (formerly Twitter) that she \u201cnever received any money\u201d for these alleged endorsements.<\/p>\n
New Israeli Ambassador Huckabee: ‘There is no such thing as a Palestinian’<\/strong><\/p>\n Donald Trump announced that Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas governor, will serve as U.S. ambassador to Israel. A long-time ally of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Huckabee has consistently supported Jewish settlers and backs Israel\u2019s claim to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.<\/p>\n \u201cMike Huckabee loves Israel and the people of Israel. He will work tirelessly for peace in the Middle East,\u201d Trump stated. Huckabee, an evangelical pastor and host on the Trinity Broadcasting Network<\/em> (TBN), is a staunch defender of Israel\u2019s historical rights in the West Bank and believes in Israel\u2019s right to annex this region.<\/p>\n Fox News host Hegseth tapped to lead Pentagon<\/strong><\/p>\n Trump\u2019s selection of Fox News <\/em>host and former military officer Pete Hegseth as head of the Pentagon surprised many. Hegseth, a vocal America First proponent, lacks traditional government or Pentagon experience, sparking discussion on Trump\u2019s unconventional choice.<\/p>\n \u201cPete is tough, smart, and a true believer in America First. With Pete at the helm, America\u2019s military will be great again, and our enemies will take notice,\u201d Trump remarked.<\/p>\n Though Hegseth\u2019s selection deviates from Trump\u2019s other traditional security appointments, he has gained Trump\u2019s respect through his book, The War on Our Warriors<\/em>, which criticizes left-wing attitudes toward U.S. troops. Hegseth is a decorated Army combat veteran and former CEO of Concerned Veterans for America, a group funded by the Koch brothers that advocates for outsourcing veterans\u2019 healthcare.<\/p>\n Hegseth also garnered Trump\u2019s favor through his advocacy for the pardons of service members convicted of war crimes, including 1st Lieutenant Clint Lorance and Major Mathew Golsteyn.<\/p>\n CIA appointment: Ratcliffe’s anti-Iran stance<\/strong><\/p>\n John Ratcliffe, former Director of National Intelligence, has been appointed CIA Director, reinforcing Trump\u2019s hardline stance against Iran. Ratcliffe replaces Bill Burns, who led Biden\u2019s attempts to broker ceasefires in Gaza.<\/p>\n An outspoken critic of Biden\u2019s foreign policy, Ratcliffe has accused the administration of downplaying intelligence on Hamas to avoid escalation. He argues that deprioritizing Middle Eastern intelligence has left the U.S. vulnerable to terrorist threats. Ratcliffe also alleged Iranian interference in the 2020 election, accusing the regime of trying to \u201cfoment social unrest\u201d in the U.S.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" President-elect Donald Trump continues to shape his cabinet, set to take office in January. Trump has nominated South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to lead the Department of Homeland Security. She will work closely with Border Czar Tom Homan to \u201csecure the border and ensure that our American homeland is safe from our enemies,\u201d Trump stated. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6153,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[176],"tags":[2354,3669,1946,319,503,812,3666,3667,3446,3668,1192],"class_list":["post-6152","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-america","tag-america-first","tag-cabinet","tag-cia","tag-donald-trump","tag-headline","tag-israel","tag-kristi-noem","tag-pete-hegseth","tag-the-u-s-elections","tag-tom-homan","tag-united-states"],"yoast_head":"\n