Noem says Homeland Security Dept. is Trump's No. 1 priority

New Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem challenged her employees Tuesday to be a “beacon of freedom.”

Speaking at a welcome ceremony, Ms. Noem said she requested the secretary’s job from President Trump because it will be at the top of so much of his agenda.

“I asked him for it. I said I would like to be the secretary of Homeland Security, sir, because it’s your No. 1 priority,” she said.

Ms. Noem, who had been governor of South Dakota until her confirmation over the weekend, took the stage to the tune of “Hot Momma,” a song performed by country artist Trace Adkins.

As governor, she managed a state workforce of 13,000 people. Homeland Security has 20 times that number of employees.

She told them their job is to plan for all contingencies.

“We prepare ahead and think three steps ahead so that people have what they need before they need it,” she said.

At the end of her brief remarks, she opened the floor to questions, saying she wanted to give her new workforce a chance to let her know what was on her mind.

Nobody took the offer.