Tue Nov 12 06:00:00 UTC 2024: ## South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem Rumored for Interior Secretary Position in Trump Administration
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) – South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem is reportedly in the running to lead the U.S. Department of Interior in President-elect Donald Trump’s second term, according to a Wall Street Journal report. If confirmed, Noem would replace current Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American to hold the position.
The Interior Department oversees federal relations with tribal governments, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bureau of Indian Education. Governor Noem’s history with tribal governments in South Dakota has been mixed. She provided emergency assistance after flooding in 2019, moved the state Office of Indian Education, and supported training for tribal law enforcement officers. However, she has also faced bans from several reservations at different times.
Noem’s potential appointment comes as Trump has pledged to relocate thousands of federal employees to “patriot-led states,” suggesting a possible influx of jobs to South Dakota. Trump has won the state in all three of his presidential bids, receiving over 60% of the vote in the recent election.
KELOLAND News has reached out to Governor Noem’s office for comment on the WSJ report.
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