Kristi Noem Looks Completely Different Without Her Hair Extensions
Kristi Noem has pulled off more rebrands than most people manage in two lifetimes. She's now known for her exaggerated hair extensions and is one of the worst offenders of the Mar-a-Lago face, second only to Kimberly Guilfoyle and Lauren Sánchez. But unlike the others, the Secretary of Homeland Security has a well-documented saga of hair transformations, each more drastic than the last. And that's saying something, considering the saga begins with Noem's wedding photos, where she's blonde and virtually unrecognizable.
However, the next part of the saga is arguably the most animated, because she sports a look with no hair extensions but enough layers to make Rachel Green in peak "Friends" era look like an amateur. The ends are flipped, the crown is teased to the heavens, and the whole thing gives off Karen energy. This haircut might not have landed her in any style magazines, but the choppy layers softened her face, made her expressions more natural, and gave her the vibe of an everyday woman, someone whose experiences didn't feel too far removed from the average voter.
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The Noem we see today is playing a different game entirely. The hair extensions are obvious, and that's the point. They're meant to signal polish, control, and high-gloss glamour. The aesthetic shift gives less approachable politician, more Real Housewife of Homeland Security. It's no coincidence that this transformation happened at the same time as Noem's public pivot into a full-blown superfan of glamorized billionaire Donald Trump.
Kristi Noem also ditched her hair extensions during a recent trip as Homeland Security Secretary
Ever since Kristi Noem jumped aboard the Trump train, she's kept the glamorous hairstyles to match her new ultra-polished persona. However, during a visit to La Fortaleza in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on May 6, 2025, the Secretary of Homeland Security showed up without the extensions, much to the internet's surprise. With the volume gone, her face took center stage, and it was hard to miss the overdrawn lips, frozen expression, and hollowed cheeks that give her that unmistakable Mar-a-Lago look. With only the hair missing, the look felt oddly incomplete, like a full glam outfit missing its final accessory.
Interestingly, just days after this lackluster appearance, the former governor was absolutely flamed online for her try-hard outfit. Noem sparked controversy for wearing a designer Rolex and an inappropriate outfit — which included a photo-op-ready top, tons of makeup, and heavy extensions — during a prison visit. She also proudly posted the look to X.
On one hand, you could argue that Kristi Noem gets criticized whether she wears hair extensions or not. An equally strong case can be made that the Secretary of Homeland Security brought this on herself. She rose to the governor's office without leaning into glamorized, billionaire-backed beauty standards. Yet somewhere along the way, she chose image over substance and fully subscribed to the Mar-a-Lago aesthetic. It's hard to imagine the Noem of 2010 getting caught up in something like the teeth lawsuit controversy. But now? The focus is on her face, not her policies, because that's exactly where she's placed the spotlight.