Kristi Noem's Lazy Attempt To Hide Her Hair Hack Is A Total Fail

Kristi Noem's been in the public eye since 2007 when she first served in the South Dakota State House of Representatives. More recently, Noem left her role as South Dakota's governor after the Senate approved her controversial nomination as secretary of homeland security. Early in her political career, Noem appeared to be a fan of shorter hairstyles. However, in the last few years, she appears to be going to great lengths to change her appearance. Some believe her decisions were an endeavor to impress Donald Trump, and her drastic MAGA makeover led to plastic surgery speculation. While Noem's hair was down to her shoulder blades in late 2021, her current long locks and masses of volume have caused some people to believe she's using hair extensions. To make matters worse, Noem's been appearing everywhere from ICE operations to TV interviews with a combo of flowing hair and a baseball cap — a look that's garnering ridicule.

While wearing a hat can be an easy way to conceal hair extensions, social media users were unimpressed. "Does the hair come off with the hat?" snarked one poster on X (formerly Twitter). Others dissed Noem for her incongruous appearance. "Yeah, she looks totally ready for the tough stuff with her hair extensions spread artfully around her shoulders and across her ICE vest," remarked another. Mockery aside, it's doubtful that Noem will give up on this hair hack anytime soon. Noem's Instagram feed reveals ubiquitous cap-wearing, from office meetings to public speaking events.

Beyond Kristi Noem's penchant for hats, people took issue with the combo of the Homeland Security secretary's ensemble with her full makeup and long pearl earrings. "Kristi Noem is a cosplaying weirdo. So cringe," wrote one person on X (formerly Twitter). Another joked, "Nothing screams 'tough on border security' like a perfectly curated look, complete with full glam and a costume straight out of a political theater production."

Noem's authenticity got called out when multiple people also asserted that she should have her hair pulled back securely so it wouldn't get in the way. One couldn't resist jibing that Noem could risk getting her extensions pulled out in the line of duty.

The costume accusations may have gained traction from a series of TV commercials that Noem participated in as South Dakota's governor. In an effort to fill jobs in the state, Noem dressed up as a variety of occupations including a nurse, plumber, and construction worker. In some of these Noem opted for impractical hairstyles, like her plumber garb where she paired loose long hair with a backward baseball cap. However, it's pretty clear in these cases she's acting and not really doing these jobs. In contrast, around this same time, Noem also participated in a video testimonial for cosmetic dentistry — a move that landed her in a lawsuit. In that case, Noem neglected to provide a disclaimer regarding her commentary.