Critics Hound Kristi Noem Over Trump's Reported Job Plans For Her

Josephine Harvey
·3 min read

President-elect Donald Trump will reportedly nominate South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) as homeland security secretary, and critics sent him straight to the doghouse.

Noem, a staunch ally of the president-elect, was previously reported to be among Trump’s vice presidential contenders. However, she appeared to damage her chances when she mentioned in her memoir, “No Going Back,” that she once shot and killed one of her dogs in a gravel pit.

Noem wrote in the book that the dog, Cricket ― a 14-month-old wirehaired pointer ― was “less than worthless” and “untrainable.” (Noem also shot and killed a goat that she described as “nasty and mean,” and that she said smelled “rancid.”)

Faced with backlash to the story about Cricket, Noem’s response was to double down and lean in.

Noem’s book also contained dubious claims about world leaders she claimed she’d met when she was a U.S. representative.

She claimed she’d met with North Korean dictator Kim Jon Un, which a former Capitol Hill staffer said was “bullshit.” She also said she canceled a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, whose office denied the story.

The governor is prohibited from entering 20% of her state after all nine Indigenous tribes in South Dakota barred her in response to her offensive claims about their people.

Noem will need to be confirmed by the Senate if Trump nominates her for the Department of Homeland Security job.

Social media users expressed concern for the dogs — and people — of America.

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