Salon's Heather Digby Parton believes Noem's end game is "President Puppy Killer."

[Miles Archer]

How Kristi Noem became the face of Donald Trump’s police state
Kristi Noem's DHS propaganda campaign depends on costumes, ICE raids — and Corey Lewandowski
By Heather Digby Parton

https://www.salon.com/2025/10/17/how-kristi-noem-became-the-face-of-donald-trumps-police-state/

DHS has spent more than $50 million filming television commercials of Noem thanking Donald Trump for securing the border, and the agency recently distributed a public service announcement of the secretary informing passengers in Transportation Security Administration lines that Democrats have shut down the government and are to blame for any delays. (Many airports are refusing to air it.) The low-rent Leni Riefenstahl social media propaganda campaign, in which Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and street theater are meticulously documented, has the effect of inuring the public to the idea that troops are invading American cities and no one who opposes the regime is safe.

But Noem has a lot of money to play with. The One Big Beautiful Bill handed over a massive $170 billion war chest to the department, which is engaged in building detention camps all over the country — by private companies, who are making a killing, naturally — and is offering up to $50,000 signing bonuses to any dude willing to put on a mask and start cracking heads.

But in the meantime, Noem and Lewandowski are working night and day together, preparing for the next step in her political career. She’s clearly swinging for the fences, and is almost certainly planning a run for president in 2028.

When Noem was confronted about the reprehensible story of her shooting her dog, she responded that she told the story to illustrate her willingness to do anything “difficult, messy and ugly.” In that regard, Noem is certainly proving her capability, and she is evidently counting on the fact that her image as the cold, remorseless executor of the plan to rid America of foreigners will launch her into the White House. They don’t call her ICE Barbie for nothing.

[dalton99a]

1. Republicans gave her $170 billion of taxpayer money.

[leftstreet]

2. Noem vs Margy Greene Taylor primary smack down

Could be hilarious

[brer cat]

3. That is a nightmare-inducing scenario.

[Miles Archer]

4. She's making MAGAt dreams come true

Miller's fantasy come true is also the MAGAts' fantasy come true...the ethnic cleansing of America, dispatched in the cruelest of fashions.

Now, if VOTERS meet force with force, it doesn't have to happen. But I don't imagine MAGAts sitting home going "why bother" on election day. They'd be marking the dates off and counting down with red "X" marks, straining at the bit.

Here's the deal.

Vance is a WIMP. Vance could never ascend to the MAGAt throne and stay there.

Whoever followed Trump would have to be equally vile, equally corrupt, equally dead inside, just a creature of ambition lacking any moral fiber.

Noem could do that.

And we could be there to defeat her. I'm confident of that. It would require people who did not step up in 2024 to do so in 2028, but I believe the threat of that murderous, adulterous, worthless woman sitting in the Oval Office would be enough to motivate them.

[Fiendish Thingy]

5. I hope she runs in 2028

Along with Marco- it will be glorious to see them crash and burn, ending their political careers.

Next stop, Dancing With The Fascists!

[Mysterian]

6. Terribly sad she became a governor of a state packed with idiots

There will be no future for the U.S.A. if the rule of law is not re-established and Noem is not imprisoned for her crimes against the American people.

[tanyev]

7. Tina Fey may have to save the country. Again.

[CincyDem]

8. Our Brand is Hate.

Trump's heir apparent is still unclear. Personally, I doubt that MAGA will magically just transfer their cult loyalty to some successor but putting that aside - the person who climbs to the top of the list will be the one who can demonstrate their loyalty to the cause through specific, measurable hateful actions. The measure will probably be "who does the left hate most"...and right now, ICE Barbi is pretty high on the list, if not at the top.

[Miles Archer]

9. The only one higher on the list is Miller

That would be the ultimate MAGAt dream come true. But you're 100% correct. Trump's "successor" will be hand-selected based on who is the most loathed reptile in his orbit.

[CincyDem]

10. Agree, but I think miller is "inside baseball". Noem is front/center on the nightly news. She's building her cred.

[Miles Archer]

11. One can ALWAYS get away with MORE in the shadows than in the spotlight

Miller's made it clear lately that his TV appearances are designed to tickle the fancy of his "audience of one." Make Trump happy, stroke his ego, and you get an unlimited free pass to do whatever the hell you want. I think he'd be happy right where he is, under ANY Republican president, including Noem.

But yeah, Noem is definitely grooming herself. Let's hope that America responds accordingly.