'That's who she is': Noem allies rally she's 'definition of South Dakota toughness' amid wardrobe criticisms

Allies of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem are celebrating her arsenic the "definition of South Dakota toughness" arsenic critics lampoon the Trump medication authoritative for wearing a cowboy chapeau oregon protective vest amid her hands-on efforts to unafraid the confederate borderline and deport amerciable immigrants. 

"Kristi Noem is the explanation of South Dakota toughness and really ran a moving ranch for decades," Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., told Fox News Digital Tuesday. "She talks straight, works hard, and gets the occupation done. Like immoderate large leader, she’s not sitting down a table — she’s retired determination connected the beforehand lines, rolling up her sleeves and moving alongside the radical she leads." 

"You don’t spot that overmuch successful Washington," helium said. 

Noem, who was confirmed arsenic DHS main connected Jan. 25, has been connected an migration and information blitz since then, joining migration raids connected the streets of New York City and taking a horseback circuit of the confederate borderline successful Texas. 

SOCIAL MEDIA ROASTS NOEM OVER UNIQUE STYLE CHOICES

Kristi Noem participates successful the South Dakota Buffalo Roundup successful September 2023. (Fox News Digital )

As Noem works to assistance present connected President Donald Trump's run vow to fastener down the borderline and cleanable location of amerciable immigrants who flooded the federation nether the Biden administration, critics person latched onto criticizing Noem’s wardrobe selection. 

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem makes an quality connected NBC's "Meet the Press," Feb. 2, 2025. (Screen drawback from NBC's ‘Meet the Press')

She has been accused of wearing "cosplay outfits" oregon "cosplaying" a cowboy erstwhile she donned a cowboy chapeau during an interrogation on NBC’s "Meet the Press" connected Sunday. 

Noem besides has been mocked arsenic "ICE Barbie" oregon "Border Patrol Barbie" for wearing a shot cap, an evident bullet-proof vest and constitution portion helping behaviour the raids successful New York City astatine the extremity of January. 

To those successful Noem’s idiosyncratic and enactment orbit, however, she has agelong worn outfits that lucifer the occupation she has earlier her — including erstwhile she has to get "her hands dirty."

SEC. NOEM SAYS HOMELAND SECURITY WILL FREEZE GRANTS TO NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

"If folks privation to nitpick astir her wearing the aforesaid cogwheel arsenic the radical she’s starring — a cowboy hat, enactment apparel — they don’t recognize her, and they definite don’t recognize South Dakota," Johnson said successful remark to Fox Digital. "That’s who she is. Always has been." 

Then-South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem helps conception borderline fencing successful 2024. (Fox News Digital )

"People successful New York oregon D.C. wouldn’t past a time successful the existent America," helium said. "I told folks she’d beryllium an ass kicker, and that’s precisely what she’s doing."

A root adjacent to Noem, who spoke to Fox News Digital connected the inheritance of the secretary's upbringing, speculated that critics apt "just don’t get her," portion arguing that complaints astir men’s wardrobe choices are fewer and acold between. 

KRISTI NOEM JOINS IMMIGRATION RAID TO CATCH 'DIRTBAGS' IN MAJOR SANCTUARY CITY

"Kristi Noem was taught by her begetter not to kick astir a problem, but to spell and hole it," the root said. "She gets her hands soiled erstwhile she throws herself into a occupation and that’s what she’s doing." 

To those successful Kristi Noem’s idiosyncratic and enactment orbit, however, she has agelong worn outfits that lucifer the occupation she has earlier her — including erstwhile she has to get "her hands dirty." (Fox News Digital )

Noem stepped down arsenic South Dakota’s politician pursuing her confirmation to pb DHS and has a past of routinely swapping emblematic Washington, D.C., fashion, specified arsenic pantsuits and heels, for cowboy boots and jeans erstwhile extracurricular of her office. 

While serving arsenic governor, Noem was repeatedly spotted wearing jeans and much work-styled outfits portion connected the border. She has participated successful the South Dakota Buffalo Roundup and joined authorities workplace fairs. 

Noem ​​was the archetypal politician to deploy National Guard troops to borderline states successful 2022 and repeatedly visited confederate states specified arsenic Texas amid the migration crisis, which she said created a "warzone."

Then-South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem repeatedly visited confederate states amid the migration crisis, which she said created a "warzone." (Fox News Digital )

NOEM SAYS 'WORST OF THE WORST' ARRESTED IN NYC RAID TARGETING CRIMINAL ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

Noem grew up connected a ranch successful South Dakota’s agrarian Hamlin County and has remained adjacent to her state roots.

She came nether occurrence successful 2024, erstwhile she published a memoir that garnered outrage for defending the sidesplitting of a workplace canine that attacked different animals. 

Kristi Noem sits successful the cab of a John Deere tractor connected her household workplace portion gathering a buffalo pen successful 2020. (Fox News Digital )

Noem reflected connected her agrarian manner successful her Senate confirmation proceeding successful January, saying she has "spent my beingness successful agrarian America" and that she understands "what it means to enactment hard each time to physique a amended aboriginal for our kids and our communities."

"Petty insults" aimed astatine Kristi Noem are really borne retired of absorption to Trump’s migration policies, 1 authorities root said. (Fox News Digital )

Another Noem state adjacent to the caput who spoke to Fox News Digital said that "petty insults" aimed astatine Noem are really borne retired of absorption to Trump’s migration policies.

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"The elemental information is that galore of her critics are opposed to President Trump’s ngo to support the federation harmless by warring amerciable immigration, and they’ll effort to undermine it immoderate mode they tin — and that includes hurling petty insults astatine the Secretary of Homeland Security to undermine her and the president," the root adjacent who Noem said. "It won’t work. She’s sworn to bash the occupation the president gave her of protecting this country, and that’s what she’s going to do."