Kristi Noem, now the Secretary of Homeland Security, has a history full of controversy. From persistent rumors about personal affairs and alleged cosmetic surgery to the shocking confession in her memoir about shooting the family puppy, Noem’s record is consistently a source of debate. In a life so full of controversies, Noem’s driving record somehow steals the show.
Back in 2010, during her congressional race against Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, Noem’s extensive history of traffic violations made waves. As reported by Rapid City Journal, over a span of 21 years, Noem accumulated 20 speeding tickets.
Besides speeding, she had also been caught driving without a valid license, ignoring seat belt laws, and running red lights. She also got court-issued warrants for overdue fines, but eventually, she settled these penalties.
In October 2025, speaking at an Indiana event, she boasted about recent ICE raids targeting motorists, mainly truckers. Over 200 immigrants were allegedly arrested on the highways, many for driving without licenses. Noem declared, “If you are here driving on our streets illegally and our highways, you are endangering our citizens, and your days are numbered.”
Kristi Noem blasts “foreigners” for dangerous driving. According to the Rapid City Journal, that state’s court records show Noem had 20 speeding tickets dating back to 1989, alongside other violations, including failure to stop at an intersection and invalid license plates. pic.twitter.com/JhamWJrhCB
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) November 1, 2025
This statement sparked outrage online over the contradiction between her own actions and her words. Observers quickly recalled that Noem had once been ticketed for driving without a license.
James Surowiecki, a journalist, pointed out, “Very funny to have Noem talking about traffic safety, given that between 1989 and 2010 she collected 20 speeding tickets, three stop-sign violations, and a citation for driving without a license, along with six failure-to-appear notices.”
Noem’s own writing brought her driving mistakes to the fore yet again. In No Going Back, she describes a harrowing experience. She was prepared to tow a flatbed trailer but failed to check the hitch herself. Speeding down the freeway at 70 miles per hour, the trailer detached, almost causing a major accident. She later recalled telling her daughter, “We could have killed so many people.”
Noem’s traffic record has also been used against her, politically. In 2010, her opponent, Herseth Sandlin, seized on the revelations. Campaign advisor Russ Levsen argued the record was evidence that Noem “thinks the rules don’t apply to her.” He questioned whether someone who repeatedly missed fine deadlines and court appearances was suited for office.
Today,. @ChrisMurphyCT put Kristy Noem on notice. She willfully and flagrantly violates the laws of the United States. Her obsession with the Southern border leaves the country vulnerable to attacks from other countries.#DemsUnited #DemVoice1 pic.twitter.com/yTRQy6Bt1l
— Rod (Izzy) Ⓜ️Ⓜ️ 🇺🇸🦅 (@1zzyzyx1) May 8, 2025
These criticisms were, however, dismissed swiftly by Noem’s team. Campaign manager Josh Shields responded that the tickets were the result of “haste and carelessness” and did not mean that Noem had no regard for the law. He also suggested that drivers are often tempted to speed on the open stretches of highway in South Dakota and Noem was no exception.
Shields emphasized that Noem had paid all outstanding fines and, more importantly, offered a public apology for her behavior. “Obviously, I’m not proud of my driving record,” Noem admitted, as reported by The Hill, “but I’ve been working hard to be a better example to young kids and young drivers out there.”
Noem’s words did not vouch for much as the memories of her traffic offenses remain fresh in the minds of people. Every time she talks about the kind of repercussions one person, especially an immigrant, might face for traffic violations, mentions of her own previous offenses inevitably make their way into the conversation.
