Is Noem ready for an administrative role as Trump returns to office? Speculations swirl

Governor Kristi Noem campaigns for former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania on October 24, 2024. (Office of Governor Kristi Noem)

As the dust settles on the 2024 election and President-elect Donald Trump prepares for his second term, political observers are excited about the role Governor Kristi Noem could play in the new administration.

Noem, an outspoken Trump supporter during the campaign, has been seen out and about frequently in recent weeks.

“You should reward the people who supported you during the election,” says Northern State University political science major professor Jon Schaff. “I think everyone knows she has been a big supporter of Trump. I think it would be almost remarkable if she didn’t have any position in that government. The question is: does she want it?

Schaff suggested Noem could be a good fit for the position of Secretary of Agriculture or Interior, which would align with her experience and the importance of agriculture to South Dakota. He said senior Cabinet posts such as defense, foreign affairs, finance or justice ministers may be out of reach.

“The only one that seems plausible is the state, and I don’t know if it has the diplomatic skills for that,” he said.

Noem could also become a conservative media commentator or the face of a Republican political organization, or could choose to run for a seat in the U.S. Senate. If Senator Mike Rounds decides to run for re-election in 2026 and Noem decides to challenge him, Schaff foresees a very competitive race.

The South Dakota governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment about its plans.

Mike Card, a political science professor at the University of South Dakota, thinks a position as secretary of the Department of Agriculture or an ambassadorship are two possible paths for Noem. given speculation that North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum will become Secretary of the Interior.

“The question is whether she can hold down the relatively easy job of governor of South Dakota,” he said, which gives her a platform without the administrative work that comes with being a Cabinet secretary.

Noem has remained quiet about Sen. John Thune’s bid to become Senate majority leader. Noem’s silence could mean she’s keeping her options open, Card said.

Thune’s influence could prove important to Noem later. If Rounds retires and Thune endorses someone else for Senate, it could be more difficult for Noem to win the seat. She could try to negotiate with Thune — since she has some influence over the newly elected president — to help him secure this leadership role, Card said. In return, he said, she could ask for his support as she pursues a Cabinet position that would require Senate approval. Congress must approve a president’s Cabinet secretary choices.

Noem’s possible departure from South Dakota politics has already set the stage for a competitive gubernatorial race in 2026, Card said.

“This essentially means that the race for governor has already begun,” he said, naming key players such as U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, Attorney General Marty Jackley and Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden as likely contenders.

Card also expects an insurgent “America First” Republican to enter the race for governor in 2026, representing the party’s more populist wing.

“It’s now an America First Republican Party,” Card said. “And so, who is that candidate? It’s hard not to see it cutting in a different way.

Name before the elections

Gov. Noem played an active role on the campaign trail for President-elect Donald Trump.

On October 14, she moderated a town hall in Pennsylvania where she praised Trump’s authenticity and commitment to protecting American families. The event generated headlines after Trump, 78, nearly spent 40 minutes of listening a variety of songs.

In mid-October, Noem balanced her campaign efforts with state duties. meeting with its executive team in Pierre on Oct. 16 to prepare South Dakota’s budget on the way to Mar-a-Lago for talks with Trump the next day.

As October progressed, she campaigned for Trump in key battleground states, on and off North Carolina, PennsylvaniaAnd Wisconsin. She also competed in events in South Dakota, attend the funeral of former Senator Tim Johnson and leading the annual governor’s hunt in Sioux Falls. Between campaign appearances, Noem was one frequent attendance on conservative mediawhere she defended Trump and criticized President Joe Biden and business magnate Mark Cuban, the latter of whom she had trouble with it for his comments about Trump’s female supporters.

Name joined panels of Republican women in Georgia and Michigan to rally support for Trump in the final days of his campaign. Her schedule remained private for part of Election Day, but a social media post revealed that she celebrated Trump’s victory on November 6 with North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.

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