A Governor, a Justice, and a Family Bible: Landry Helps Swear In Kristi Noem

Louisiana’s governor first got to know Noem when they were both in Congress. Years later, he played an unexpected role when she joined Trump’s Cabinet.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem arrives to speak to staff for the first time at Department of Homeland Security headquarters in Washington on Jan. 28, 2025. Manuel Balce Ceneta/POOL/AFP

WASHINGTON—On the evening of Jan. 25, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry ended up in a memorable spot: in the home of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, standing before him and Kristi Noem.

As Landry held a Bible that had belonged to Noem’s late father, Thomas swore her into her new federal role. Hours after the Senate confirmed her nomination, Noem was officially President Donald Trump’s secretary of Homeland Security.