The Dangerous Allure of Being a Government Influencer
The new Homeland Security secretary hopefully can avoid the temptations that felled Kristi Noem.
Daniel Mynyk | March 27, 2026
“Show me the incentive, and I’ll show you the outcome,” Charlie Munger told a Harvard crowd in 1995. The former Berkshire Hathaway official was explaining how to motivate employees. For the hallowed halls of government, this most fitting business principle can manifest like the serpent in the Garden of Eden. The incentives can be potent. The outcome can be devastating.
A pandemic heroConsider secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. She was my hero in the early days of the 2020 pandemic. I watched her as the governor of South Dakota buck the crowd. She bravely opposed lockdown orders and mask mandates. Her state was an experiment in federalism and a test case against scientism. Noem fought establishment paranoia even before Florida governor Ron DeSantis came aboard in the fall.
After the 2024 election I was overjoyed that Trump had picked Noem for a position in his Cabinet. “Finally!” I thought. “Someone who opposed pandemic tyranny will have a respectable place in government!” My excitement soared when Trump further appointed Jay Bhattacharya to be director of the National Institutes of Health. Pinch me! Was I dreaming? A new day was surely dawning!
A government influencer heroUnfortunately, we don’t know much about what executive Cabinet officials do. How many of us truly understand the daily tasks of the secretary of Homeland Security? We assume he “keeps us safe” somehow. All we can see is what the secretary reports.
Naturally, one of the biggest perks of heading a federal department is public relations. Whether it’s throwing red meat on major news networks or posing for ads, the face and the job are inseparable. For officials who love seeing their own face everywhere, this perk is irresistible.
Enter social media. Making a living on X or Facebook is the fever dream of many Millennials and Gen Z. Few break through and succeed. Yet once someone tastes the status of “influencer” with a platform of millions of followers, greener pastures lie ahead. Why be a mere opinion factory when you can be a personality idol?
Hollywood actors have looks and skills on the big screen. Talented singers draw crowds to admire their voices. A secretary of Homeland Security can be this type of celebrity. But the quality isn’t mere talent. It’s being a national hero. That’s hard to top.
Adoring fans devouring your heroic words is the ultimate perk. Being the star of a $220-million ad campaign where you ride a horse and save the country from danger is a photo op worthy of the big screen. Yet this isn’t a mere movie. It’s supposed to be real life. In a sense, it’s a cut above Hollywood and Nashville.
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