Kristi Noem Controversies: From Dog Killings to Tribal Land Bans

According to CNN, Donald Trump has chosen South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to be the next Secretary of Homeland Security.

Although the announcement has not been officially confirmed, CNN quoted “two people familiar with the selection” but were not named to support its claim. The Department of Homeland Security oversees U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), making it central to President-elect Trump's twin pledges to curb illegal immigration and stop millions of illegal migrants already in the United States stop deporting.

Noem was first elected governor of South Dakota in 2018 and was re-elected four years later. By early 2024, she was widely considered one of the favorites to become Trump's vice presidential nominee. However, after the publication of excerpts from her biography in 2024, her chances fell sharply No turning backin which Noem described shooting her 14-month-old dog, Cricket, after concluding it was “untrainable.”

In addition to killing cricket, Noem has been embroiled in a number of other controversies throughout her career, which have seen her banned from the lands of several Native American tribes, accused of fabricating a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and criticized after promoting cosmetic dental surgery in Texas.

Newsweek contacted Gov. Noem's office on Tuesday outside of regular office hours through an online request form.

Ban from tribal areas

Noem was banned from visiting the territories of all nine official South Dakota Indian tribes in 2024 after he claimed some of them had been infiltrated by drug cartels.

The governor first made the claim at a joint session of the South Dakota Legislature in January 2024, saying, “Make no mistake, the cartels have a presence on several South Dakota tribal reservations… They have been successful in recruiting.” “Tribal members to join in their criminal activities.”

In March, Noem expanded on her accusation, commenting, “We have some tribal leaders who I believe personally benefit from the presence of the cartels, and that's why they attack me every day.”

Speaking to The Associated Press, Frank Star Comes Out, president of the Oglala Sioux tribe, said: “Our people are being used for political gain.”

In a statement sent to CNN in May, Noem said, “I just want to tell the truth about the real challenges facing some areas of Indian Country.”

Shooting cricket

In April 2024, excerpts from Noem's biography No Going Back: The Truth About What's Wrong in Politics and How We Move America Forward were published by a British newspaper The Guardian.

In one excerpt, Noem described shooting Cricket, her 14-month-old puppy, after he attacked a family's chickens and later “whipped around” to bite me.

In response, Noem said, “I realized I had to put her down,” described Cricket as “untrainable,” and added that she “hated that dog.”

Speaking to Politico, former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich said: “Killing the dog and then writing about it destroyed any possibility of her being selected.” [Trump’s] Vice President.”

In a later appearance on Fox News, after intense criticism, Noem said she made the decision to kill Cricket out of concerns for the safety of her children.

She said, “You know, this story was my mother’s choice. The safety of my children versus a dangerous dog that killed livestock and attacked people.”

Other book controversies

Early versions of No turning back Among the documents acquired by several media organizations before publication was an allegation that Noem met with Kim Jong Un. Accordingly The New York Times, Noem wrote: “I remember meeting North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. I'm sure he underestimated me since he had no idea how I experienced staring at little bullies (I was a children's pastor, after all). Dealing with.” “Foreign leaders require determination, preparation and determination.”

After questions were raised about the account, Noem's spokesman Ian Fury said it should not have been in the book and would be removed before publication.

When asked by CBS News if she met Kim Jong Un in May, the governor replied: “I'm not going to talk about my specific meetings with world leaders, I just won't do that.” This anecdote should be “It wasn't in the book and as soon as it was brought to my attention I made sure it was adjusted.”

In her book, Noem also claimed that she had “scheduled a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron” but decided to cancel after he made “what I thought was a very pro-Hamas and anti-Israel comment to the press.” . Noem visited Paris in November 2023 to speak at the Worldwide Freedom Initiative conference. However, this report was denied by the Élysée Palace, saying there was no record of a planned meeting between Macron and Noem.

Sued after advertising cosmetic dentist

In March 2024, Noem was sued by Travelers United, a consumer advocacy group, after she promoted the work of a Texas-based cosmetic dentist who she said had performed work on her own teeth.

Travelers United said Noem “appears to have begun work as a social media influencer since March 12, 2024.” It accused the governor of “advertising.”[ing] purchase a product or service without disclosing that she has a financial relationship with that company.”

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