People know Kristi Noem as a tough political figure. However, despite her confident speeches as well as campaign trail appearances, what reportedly bothered her more than anything else was her smile. Kristi Noem herself admitted this and disclosed it in 2024 that she had gotten veneers to transform her teeth and boost her confidence. At the time, the then South Dakota governor shared a video on X explaining why she decided to make the change. According to Noem, the goal was simple: she didn’t want people focusing on her teeth instead of what she was saying.
“For me, being able to have a confident smile and have my teeth be something that’s not a distraction, but actually is appealing to people can be helpful,” she explained in the video. “Because I think that it will make sure that we’re focused really on the right points I want to make,” she added. Besides, she also came up with an emotional moment from the day she saw her brand new smile. Her teeth had previously been damaged in a biking accident, which bothered her for years. And when the dentist disclosed the final result, the reaction caught her off guard
“When they showed me my beautiful new teeth, I hugged Dr. Davis and thanked him and started to cry, just because he really does care about the work that he does to make sure it’s perfect,” she said. “And it means a lot to me that something as small as your smile really can change the world. I think that people’s first impressions of you are important, and I want people to know how much I enjoy seeing them.”
But the makeover didn’t come without drama. Not long after the video went viral, questions began swirling about whether the post was actually an undisclosed advertisement. The controversy eventually led to a lawsuit claiming Noem had failed to clearly state that the video promoted dental work.
Legal headache or not, the cosmetic changes didn’t stop there. Observers quickly noticed that Noem’s look had dramatically evolved in recent years, sparking plenty of chatter online about what critics have called a full blown political glow up. When Noem first revealed her veneers, social media users wasted no time weighing in. “Are you even allowed to do this type of stuff while holding public office?” one user asked on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Another commenter appeared equally confused, writing: “What fresh hell is this? Are you advertising?” Still, not everyone was critical. Some supporters praised the transformation and even shared similar experiences. “Your teeth are beautiful,” one user wrote. “I had a similar problem with my teeth for most of my life. I was self conscious. I had a great dentist take care of it. I now do not worry that people are distracted by my teeth.” But the biggest question swirling in political circles wasn’t about dentistry, it was about timing.
Some observers believe the makeover may have had a political audience of one: Donald Trump. Republican strategist Ron Bonjean suggested that Noem’s transformation might have been carefully calculated to appeal to the former president.
“It’s all about her appeal to an audience of one,” Bonjean told The New York Times. “The whole teeth thing almost looks like it was done for Trump to see. She is showing him she works well in front of the camera, that she has that star power he wants onstage with him, while fitting into the mode of women in the Trump universe.”
Whether that theory holds any truth or not, one thing is certain: Noem’s political makeover didn’t go unnoticed. And when Donald Trump tapped her to serve as Secretary of Homeland Security at the start of his second presidential term, many observers couldn’t help but wonder if the image overhaul had paid off. At least from Noem’s perspective, the new smile may have been worth it.