Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was taken to a hospital in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday after suffering an unexpected allergic reaction, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security confirmed.
“Secretary Noem experienced an allergic reaction earlier today,” said Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs. “She was transported to the hospital purely as a precaution. She is currently alert and recovering.”
Sources familiar with the situation told CNN that Noem remained conscious and in communication with her security detail throughout the ordeal.
Witnesses noted a heightened Secret Service presence around the emergency room where she was admitted, with agents stationed at multiple entry points, signaling the seriousness with which the situation was handled.
Noem, the former governor of South Dakota, was appointed as Homeland Security Secretary by Donald Trump following his election victory. In her current role, she oversees immigration enforcement and federal emergency response—areas where she has promised sweeping reforms.
Just one day prior to her hospitalization, Noem joined Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for a visit to Fort Detrick, an Army facility in Maryland that’s currently under FBI investigation following a reported biohazard incident involving contractors. Kennedy recently testified before the Senate about the lab’s temporary closure.
Earlier this month, Secretary Noem held a press conference in California in response to community protests over a series of ICE raids across Los Angeles, which sparked concern among immigrant populations.
