The White House has responded to South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem’s suggestion that President Joe Biden should have shot his dog, Commander, following incidents where the German shepherd bit Secret Service agents. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre urged Noem to “stop digging herself into a hole” with such comments.
At Monday’s press briefing, Jean-Pierre addressed Noem’s remarks, which came after Commander bit Secret Service agents at least two dozen times between October 2022 and June 2023. Noem, speaking on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” questioned Biden’s handling of the situation, asking, “How many people have to be attacked and dangerously hurt before you make a decision on a dog and what to do with it?”
Noem has faced criticism over her comments and her admission in her forthcoming memoir, “No Going Back,” that she once shot her 14-month-old puppy, Cricket, because she “hated” the animal. She also revealed that she dumped the dog’s body in a gravel pit after the shooting. This admission has raised concerns about her views on animal treatment and animal welfare.
Jean-Pierre criticized Noem’s remarks, calling them “disturbing” and “absurd.” She pointed out that the U.S. is a nation that loves dogs, adding, “You have a leader talking about putting dogs down, killing them. That’s a disturbing statement to make.”
Noem’s memoir has sparked additional controversy beyond the dog incident. Politico reported that her publishers advised against including the dog-shooting story in her first book, “Not My First Rodeo.” However, her second book was published by Center Street, a conservative-leaning imprint, which did not raise objections to the story.
Noem’s book also includes inaccurate accounts of meetings with world leaders, including North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un and French President Emmanuel Macron. These claims were debunked by journalists who found no evidence that Noem had met with Kim Jong Un or had a scheduled meeting with Macron. After being questioned, Noem’s spokesman, Ian Fury, admitted to the New York Times that these stories were erroneous, and corrections would be made in the book.
Additionally, Noem’s memoir details a conversation she allegedly had with former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, in which Haley supposedly offered to mentor her. Noem claimed that Haley’s conversation contained a veiled threat, which Haley’s office later denied. The book will correct the year of the alleged conversation, but will not remove the story.
Noem, once seen as a potential running mate for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential race, has faced a significant backlash due to these controversies, potentially affecting her political standing within the Republican party.
