DHS Secretary Kristi Noem hospitalized due to sudden 'allergic reaction' after visit to biohazard lab

WASHINGTON, DC: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was transported by ambulance to a Washington, DC, area hospital on Tuesday, June 17, following an allergic reaction, according to a statement from the Department of Homeland Security.

The incident prompted heightened security outside the hospital, with Secret Service agents stationed at multiple entrances to the emergency room.

Kristi Noem rushed to hospital following severe 'allergic reaction'

“Secretary Noem had an allergic reaction today. She was transported to the hospital out of an abundance of caution. She is alert and recovering,” said DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin.

CNN noted a noticeable Secret Service presence outside the hospital’s emergency room, with agents stationed at multiple entry points as a precaution following the secretary’s sudden admission.

Kristi Noem, 53, who once served as South Dakota’s governor and represented the state in the House, was chosen by President Donald Trump to lead the Department of Homeland Security shortly after his second-term victory.

As Homeland Security secretary, Noem has quickly become a key player in executing Trump’s hardline immigration policies, which have included mass deportation plans, enhanced border militarization, and the use of wartime executive powers to remove undocumented migrants.

Since taking office, Noem has also drawn attention and criticism for her combative stance on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which she oversees.

She recently advocated for dismantling the agency altogether, citing what she called “bureaucratic inefficiencies.” Her comments gained further traction last week when Trump announced plans to phase out FEMA following the end of the 2025 hurricane season.

Kristi Noem hospitalized after touring biohazard lab with RFK Jr and Rand Paul

Noem was hospitalized on Tuesday following an allergic reaction just 24 hours after visiting a high-security biohazard research facility in Maryland with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr and Senator Rand Paul.

The visit, intended as part of an inspection of federal biolab protocols, has now drawn unusual attention due to the timing of Noem’s medical emergency, The Daily Beast reported.

Kennedy posted a photo of himself with Noem and Paul to X (formerly Twitter) during their visit to the Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick. This top-level biosafety lab handles deadly viruses such as Ebola and SARS-CoV-2.

“With @Sec_Noem and @SenRandPaul inspecting the biological hazard labs at Fort Detrick,” Kennedy wrote.

The post was shared just hours before Noem was rushed to a Washington, DC-area hospital.

Noem has not issued a statement about the incident, and officials have offered no further details on the nature of the allergic reaction or whether it was related to the lab visit.

Lab's troubled safety record fuels speculation

Fort Detrick’s Integrated Research Facility has been under scrutiny in recent months. In April, RFK Jr ordered a shutdown of operations at the lab over what federal officials described as severe lapses in safety protocols.

According to reports, the halt stemmed from a personal dispute between researchers that allegedly resulted in someone tampering with another’s protective equipment, an incident now under FBI investigation.

An HHS official previously characterized the issue as a “lover’s spat,” but Kennedy told Congress in May that the incident could amount to a “deliberate criminal act,” given the highly infectious nature of the pathogens handled at the site, as per Fox News.

The lab tour with Noem and Paul was part of Kennedy’s effort to restore confidence in lab safety standards under his “Make America Healthy Again” initiative, led by the MAHA Institute.

The National Institutes of Health, which oversees several Fort Detrick facilities, declined to comment on Noem’s condition. A spokesperson for the NIH previously stated that a “safety culture breakdown” among contract staff had prompted the April work stoppage.