Kristi noem and Danielle Smith are friends

1. Public encounters and imagery tie them together

Reporting documents at least one clear instance of Smith and Noem appearing together in a diplomatic, public setting: Danielle Smith traveled to the Western Governors conference and posted photographs of meetings that included South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, which outlets reproduced; the image is explicitly credited to Smith’s social feed in reporting about her U.S. charm offensive ^[1]. Those public interactions are concrete evidence of an on-record, cordial relationship between two elected officials engaging in cross-border political outreach, not private socializing.

2. Political alignment makes public friendship useful and unsurprising

Commentators and columnists have drawn comparisons between Smith and Noem — sometimes linking them as ideological and performative allies within a broader MAGA-aligned ecosystem — noting stylistic and policy similarities that make such public rapport logical and strategically useful for both ^[2]. This context suggests their public friendliness is at least partly transactional: leaders with similar political brands often cultivate visible ties to advance narratives and policy goals across borders ^[2].

3. Shared policy themes in their interactions indicate practical cooperation, not intimacy

Reporting about Smith’s U.S. outreach highlights overlapping policy concerns — border enforcement and energy promotion — where Smith explicitly sought U.S. governors’ support to shield Alberta from trade threats and promoted Alberta oil projects, while also echoing hardline border rhetoric; the coverage connects Smith’s border posture and pledge of provincial sheriffs with a broader conservative emphasis on immigration and security that Noem has publicly championed in U.S. politics ^[1]. Those shared talking points reinforce the view of a political partnership focused on mutual policy messaging rather than evidence of a private friendship.

4. Critics frame the relationship as image-making and ideological mimicry

Local and opinion pieces frame Smith’s outreach and posture as “Noem-like” and criticize it as derivative or performative, explicitly comparing Smith to Noem as a political brand rather than documenting a deep personal bond ^[2]. This critical framing underscores that some observers interpret their public association primarily as image management and strategic alignment, pointing to partisan agendas in how the relationship is presented and received ^[2].

5. Reporting gaps: no sourced evidence of close personal friendship

Available sources provide documentation of public meetings, photos, and political similarity, but they do not supply reporting or sourced accounts that confirm a private, close friendship—no insider testimony, private correspondence, or detailed biographical reporting tying them as personal confidantes appears in the cited material ^{[1] [2]}. Absent such evidence, the responsible conclusion is that they are public allies who have cultivated a friendly public rapport for political purposes; declaring them “friends” in the intimate sense exceeds what the sourced reporting confirms.

Conclusion: accurate, cautious wording

The evidence supports saying Kristi Noem and Danielle Smith are publicly friendly and politically aligned, having met and presented solidarity onstage and in photographs ^[1], and commentators explicitly tie Smith’s style and messaging to Noem’s as part of a shared ideological lane ^[2]. However, the sources do not substantiate that they are close personal friends off the record, and that distinction matters for accuracy: they are allies and public acquaintances with cordial interactions, not demonstrably private confidantes based on the reporting at hand ^{[1] [2]}.