Latest news with #FreedomWorksHere
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Noem taking heat for high profile photo ops
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Critics are calling the 53-year-old 'Ice Barbie' while supporters say she is doing a great job deporting dangerous criminals. Kristi Noem has certainly been visible in her new role as Homeland Security Secretary. Appearing in front of cameras, often dressed in swat or combat gear. Dressing up in costumes is nothing new for Kristi Noem. While Governor in 2023, she starred in a 6-and-a-half million dollar ad campaign for South Dakota labeled Freedom Works Here. She appeared on camera as a plumber, electrician, welder, dentist and highway patrol trooper. The ads appeared on television and online. Her latest appearance with ICE agents generated a lot of pushback, especially from experienced gun owners and military veterans. LIST: $9.1M in federal spending cuts in SD 'Here we are with Marco and Brian today letting me roll with them,' said Noem in her post to X. U.S. Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona did not hold back earlier this week in his social media posts giving Noem some gun safety tips. 'Have you seen this picture? Let me explain to why this is all cosplay. Number one, anyone who's ever been in combat, whether it's marines, officer anything like that. You would never wear a flack jacket like that. Slopply put on to get snagged on something, breach a door go through any kind of very high-intensity situation. Number two, what is going on with the ejection port there? Either means there is a round in the chamber or you are just being sloppy keeping it open. If you have a round in the chamber, the most important thing you have to always do with weapon handling is you have to assume every weapon is loaded. You are pointing that weapon directly at that guy's head to the left-hand side, so that is a problem Secretary Noem,' said Gallego. Gallego is a Marine Corps veteran and served in Iraq. Meanwhile, Former Fox host Megyn Kelly, who now has her own show on Sirius XM and YouTube, was very vocal on her show on Wednesday about Noem 's frequent appearances in front of the camera. She says Noem is doing a great job, but… 'Just stop trying to glamorize the mission and put yourself in the middle of it as you cosplay ICE agent, which you're not. I can't stand these photo-ops.' 'She is an administrative policy person appointed by Trump because she was very loyal to him. Fine, but stop with the glam,' said Kelly Along with the criticism, social media posts show Noem does have plenty of support, one person called her a 'true patriot who leads from the front.' Another said 'We appreciate your work but it doesn't always need to be a photo dismissed criticism that she is cosplaying on FOX. She told the host the people who work for Homeland Security are proud of the fact that she will wear an ICE hat or a vest. Kristi Noem is the 8th Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. The Department oversees a workforce of more than 260 thousand employees. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announces new ad campaign
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — While the Trump Administration and Department of Government Efficiency proclaim the goal is to reduce government overspending and waste, the Department of Homeland Security is announcing an international, multi-million dollar ad campaign. In a Monday night post on X, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem introduces herself and thanks President Trump for securing the border. She then tells anyone 'considering entering the United States illegally – don't even think about it.' The ads will run on radio, television, and even social media, according to the DHS website. An immigrant's role in agriculture There are two versions of the DHS advertisement: a domestic version that will air across America, and an international version that will air in 'multiple' countries. In the domestic ad, Noem says that President Trump 'has a clear message for those that are in our country illegally.' 'Leave now. If you don't, we will find you and we will deport you. You will never return,' Noem says in the ad. She also criticizes 'weak politicians' who 'left our borders wide open.' This is not the first time Kristi Noem has made herself the star of a government-funded ad campaign. Starting in 2023, Noem played a plumber, dentist, State Trooper, and more in the 'Freedom Works Here' series of nine advertisements while governor of South Dakota. The campaign also included South Dakota sponsoring a bottom-ranked NASCAR team. State lawmakers questioned the use of $5 million of state funds for the campaign in November of 2023. However, reporting by the South Dakota Searchlight in April 2024 found that number to be closer to $9 million. There is not a lot of hard data to justify a multi-million dollar workforce campaign. According to the Freedom Works Here website, about 11,400 workers are interested in moving to South Dakota, with about 3,000 getting assistance through the workforce development program. According to the state's Department of Labor and Regulation, South Dakota's workforce grew 1.1% from December 2023 to December 2024; or an increase of about 6,000 people. Another ad campaign gained South Dakota national attention with social media users riffing on the slogan 'Meth. We're on It.' Then Governor Noem defended the $1.4 million campaign, saying the purpose was to raise awareness and the slogan accomplished that. The 2019 'Meth. We're on It' campaign was Noem's first ad campaign as newly-elected governor. Call to Freedom supporting bill to raise marriage age in South Dakota Noem faced another advertisement-related controversy when she posted a video to her personal social media accounts promoting a Texas-based dentist that fixed her teeth. The video went up on March 11, 2024. By March 14, Noem and the dentistry faced a lawsuit by a consumer advocacy group. The Governor, her office, and the dentistry mentioned in the video did not respond to questions about the influencer-style ad and if Noem was compensated in any way. The international ad campaign is the latest action by Secretary Noem that has drawn criticism. During her first week, Noem donned an ICE bullet-proof vest and tagged along with agents conducting illegal immigration raids in New York City. Critics said that Noem was there merely for publicity. Meanwhile, state and city leaders said the raids were part of months-long routine investigations, and not new efforts to crackdown on illegal immigration. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
