Kristi Noem Mirrors Erika Kirk's Pageant Hair With Apparent New Extensions

Kristi Noem has never been averse to a mini makeover when the moment calls for it, so we weren't surprised when she began sporting a newer, fuller 'do in early 2026. However, we couldn't quite put a finger on who she was reminding us of, until it suddenly clicked: Erika Kirk. Noem may be the mold for so-called "Mar-a-Lago face," but clearly even she's been inspired by the new Turning Point USA CEO. Noem gets a ton of attention for how her face has drastically changed over the years, but her hair has undergone a major transformation as well. In fact, we'd even go as far as saying that without her now-ubiquitous extensions, Noem would be almost unrecognizable. 

The latest change — extensions for major volume, as well as length — isn't quite as dramatic as her last overhaul, but it's certainly something. Snaps she shared to Instagram just two months prior showed her hair to be nowhere near as thick (though that is saying something, because it certainly wasn't flat, either), so perhaps the Trump staffer figured a new year called for new hurr. Noem seems to have taken a leaf out of Kirk's book, with the widow's lengthy locks becoming a major talking point in 2025, following the death of her husband. 

FOX NEWS: The president is threatening the Insurrection Act. How serious is that threat? Will that happen?

KRISTI NOEM: I spoke to the president about it this morning. That certainly is within the president's constitutional authority to use that if he thinks he needs to pic.twitter.com/ITDKbRU8AV

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 15, 2026

As an aside, Erika Kirk's extensions are widely considered some of the spendiest in MAGAland, so it's possible Noem's were on the pricey side as well. Then again, Noem's rumored face makeover likely came with a hefty price tag too, as a plastic surgeon told us, so there's a good chance the Secretary of Homeland Security didn't bat a fake lash-clad eyelid about it. Not that we're calling Noem out of touch, or anything. Cue the "Who said that?" clip. 

Of course, if Kristi Noem was inspired by Erika Kirk's pageant hair, it wouldn't be the first time these two had something in common. Both have sported some, ahem, interesting updos over the years, and it's possible the sheer amount of extensions piled on top of their heads played a key role in that. Granted, we'll give Erika some grace in this department. The above pic, which she shared of her hair in a gravity-defying half-updo, was taken soon after she and husband Charlie Kirk welcomed their second child, and it was obviously a candid. 

Noem, on the other hand, proudly showed off her Whoville-approved hairdo in a clip of her recording the audio version of her book, "No Going Back." Unfortunately for the then-governor of South Dakota, her haters couldn't ignore her 'do, and many poked fun at her on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Why does she have Pepé Le Pew on her head?" wondered one user, prompting another to respond that it was a creative way for her to hide her extension tracks. Others questioned whether she had a Pomeranian or maybe a Shi Tzu on her head. 

Plenty of users were downright outraged by her messy 'do, calling the controversial politician out for looking unprofessional, above all else. "You are the governor. Act like it. Trump wears a suit. You wear a mop on your damn head," one penned. Yet another called her out for the same reason, complaining, "She's not 25 and heading to Trader Joe's on a Saturday to pick up her groceries." Time will tell how Noem throws her new, improved and even bigger extensions up. We'd say it can't get worse than her bizarre topknot, but stranger things have happened.