Times Kristi Noem Shamelessly Showed Off Her Wealth & It Totally Backfired

There's no shortage of missteps and controversies when it comes to Kristi Noem. From Noem's makeup fails that have made Kimberly Guilfoyle's glam look subtle to writing about killing her dog in her memoir, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary gives us plenty to talk about — and that includes the times when Noem has flaunted her lavish lifestyle. She might have been trying to make a statement about her own success, but each time we hear about Noem splashing out on big purchases or carrying a lot of cash, it just makes her seem particularly out of touch (and it's definitely not earning her any fans).

Over Easter weekend 2025, Noem had her purse stolen while she was at a Washington D.C. restaurant. Her Gucci purse contained some pretty important items, including her passport, DHS badge, and $3,000 cash. Theft is, of course, unacceptable, but Noem isn't getting a lot of sympathy online. Some people asked how the person in charge of DHS could have had such a security lapse with her personal belongings. Others joked that it sounded more like a go bag if you were getting ready to flee the country.

Plenty of people were simply baffled as to why anyone would be carrying that much cash. When explaining why Noem was carrying so much money, DHS said, "Her entire family was in town including her children and grandchildren — she was using the withdrawal to treat her family to dinner, activities, and Easter gifts," according to CNN. But as we noted, this isn't the first time Noem's put her wealth on display.

First and foremost, there's Kristi Noem's hair and makeup costs. There's absolutely nothing wrong with spending money on things that make you feel or look good, but in Noem's case, her intense glam rubs people the wrong way. And we're pretty confident that it all comes with a pretty hefty price tag since Noem's pre-MAGA makeover photos prove she was unrecognizable. Her hair, and the money she's probably spent on it, has certainly gotten attention; some people even joked about it in reference to her Washington D.C. robbery. "Maybe her purse got lost in her hair extensions? Maybe the $3,000 in cash was to buy new hair extensions?" one X user joked.

Noem's makeup bag was also reportedly in her purse when it was stolen. One person quipped on X, "The makeup bag reportedly took up two parking spaces." Another said, "Noem is offering a SUBSTANTIAL REWARD for info leading to the recovery of her makeup." Maybe this is a sign that she should ease up on the glam?

As DHS secretary, Kristi Noem has been focused on helping to enact Donald Trump's immigration policies, and she's posted pictures of herself on social media wearing tactical gear alongside law enforcement officials. Not everyone's impressed, though; even Megyn Kelly seems annoyed by Noem's "ICE Barbie" photo ops. But even when she skips the military style outfits, she's found herself in hot water. When Noem visited the El Salvador prison that is holding immigrants deported from the U.S., she dressed relatively simply in a white, long sleeve shirt that she accessorized with a baseball cap and a watch. But not just any watch. It was a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona that costs $50,000 — more than many people make in a year, according to The New York Times.

A DHS public affairs staffer told The New York Times that Noem bought the watch to "one day pass down to her children," and that she used money from her books to buy it. She made $140,000 for her most recent memoir. But that explanation did little to appease critics. People thought it was tacky to wear such a pricey piece in such a place. One person on X seemed to sum up the critique, saying: "Her wealth screams privilege, not leadership. Shameful display amidst such suffering." Even some of her supporters didn't think it was a good look for her.

When Kristi Noem was governor of South Dakota, she spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on travel, including a trip to Paris, one to Houston to see a dentist, and a bear hunt in Saskatchewan. In those cases, it wasn't her money that she was spending, but it still made people mad because she took those flights on a South Dakota government airplane, which is supposed to only be used within the state itself. And it turns out that it was taxpayers in her state who footed the bill. There was also the fact that Noem and her team didn't disclose what was taxpayer funded; the information came out after a lawsuit. Add all that up and it's clear why people were unhappy.

How someone spends their own money is, in many respects, their own business. But when it comes to spending money as a public figure like Noem, people are going to pay attention, and flaunting your wealth or spending taxpayer money for your own benefit isn't a good look on anyone.