The Kristi Noem Hair Look She Should Have Thought Twice About

Kristi Noem is not only the Secretary of Homeland Security and a conservative firebrand, but apparently, she has been the reluctant friend to the humble hairbrush. In what should have been a moment of polished diplomacy and picture-perfect professionalism during a meeting in April 2024 between U.S. President Donald Trump and the President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, Noem's hair decided it had other plans.

And unfortunately, those plans did not include a cohesive vision. Noem's strands looked unkempt and frizzy, like she had woken up with serious bedhead and curled her strands at the last minute in an attempt to look put together. And where her highlights should have added brightness or structure, in this case, they seemed awkwardly placed, with a tiny money piece that stood out like a sore thumb. Looks like someone needs some hair dye tips. And when it comes to those extensions, paired with the diplomatic gravitas of the room, the whole look seemed oddly casual, like she might have been headed to brunch rather than a high-level international meeting. On Reddit, some users have compared this go-to style to something you would see on a cast member for "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City." However, this curled extension disaster wasn't just a bad hair day or another hair roller mistake, but part of a pattern. From gravity-defying updos to tresses that look like they escaped custody, Noem's hair consistently seems like it is one strategic plan behind.

Unfortunately for Kristi Noem, there is evidence that her hair woes are not a new thing. While she was a Representative for South Dakota, Noem walked onto the stage at the Conservative Political Action conference in 2011, not just with policy points, but a hairstyle that looked ready to filibuster its way through fashion sense. This was the infamous voluminous-layer-meets-flat-iron-meets-local-news-anchor-on-sweeps-week look, a hairstyle so over-engineered yet underachieving.

The crown was puffed up just enough to suggest ambition, but not enough to commit to a full '60s retro revival. It tried to say "leadership," but ended up whispering, "my hair is haunted by the Bump-It." The flipped-out ends looked like they were swooping in all directions. Were they rebelling against her messaging? Were they auditioning for a Pantene commercial that never aired? We may never know. The bangs, meanwhile, looked like they were still deciding whether they wanted to join the rest of the hairstyle. Together, it was doing a lot, too much. And based on what we know now, it seems like Noem still hasn't learned her lesson.