JD Vance Unintentionally References Kristi Noem’s Notable Controversy

The shady side of Kristi Noem came to the forefront when she wrote about shooting a dog in her memoir “No Going Back.” Before her book was released in May 2024, excerpts of Noem’s memoir made headlines, as she had written about the time she shot and killed a 14-month-old dog named Cricket on her family ranch. According to Noem, the dog had to be put down because she was “dangerous to anyone she came in contact with.” Predictably, this led to a cavalcade of backlash from the public, which continued well after the book was published.

Online discussions erupted after clips of an interview with Noem were shared, with users critiquing her actions. One individual remarked, “Are you listening @Sec_Noem [frog emoji]….. RIP cricket the dog,” in reference to the controversy. This issue even caught the attention of the satirical show “South Park,” which did not shy away from highlighting the incident.

In an August episode, “South Park” mocked Noem for her alleged plastic surgeries and for the dog-shooting incident. The show depicted a cartoon version of Noem outside a house with ICE agents, firing at Krypto, the dog from “Superman.” The scene went viral on social media, with critics linking it back to the Cricket incident. “She killed her untrained puppy for being an untrained puppy,” one user quipped.

Earlier in April 2024, Noem addressed the incident via a detailed post on X. She expressed understanding of the backlash over the 20-year-old story about Cricket, portraying the decision as a necessary demonstration of personal strength expected from public officials. Noem emphasized that she was acting as a responsible dog owner and community member. This memoir emerged amidst speculation about her potential candidacy as Donald Trump’s vice-presidential pick.

In May 2024, when asked about the backlash against Noem, Trump acknowledged her difficult situation in an interview with Spectrum News 1. Although he stopped short of defending her actions, Trump mentioned his fondness for Noem, though evidently not enough to select her as his running mate.

Clips of the interview were shared online, and multiple people pointed out that Vance was unwittingly bashing the Secretary of Homeland Security. “Are you listening @Sec_Noem [frog emoji]….. RIP cricket the dog,” one X user wrote. This came not long after Noem’s controversy was featured on an episode of “South Park.”

In August, “South Park” roasted Kristi Neom for her extensive plastic surgery, and also for having openly admitted to killing a family dog. One scene showed the cartoon version of Noem standing guard outside a home with members of ICE. Krypto, the lovable doggo from “Superman,” was seen flying near the home with a cape on. Noem spotted the flying furry K-9 and opened fire, killing poor Krypto. When clips of the scene were posted to X, many of her detractors popped up in the replies to remind people of the Cricket controversy. “She killed her untrained puppy for being an untrained puppy,” one user commented.

Previously, the former governor of South Dakota had addressed the shooting incident herself in a lengthy post on X in April 2024. “I can understand why some people are upset about a 20 year old story of Cricket, one of the working dogs at our ranch,” Noem wrote. She went on to justify the shooting as a show of personal resolve, which was a strong trait for an elected (or appointed) official. “Even if it’s hard and painful. I followed the law and was being a responsible parent, dog owner, and neighbor,” she added. It should be mentioned that Noem’s revealing memoir came out while she was still a possible candidate to be Donald Trump’s vice presidential running mate.

The following month, Trump was asked about the backlash surrounding Noem. “She had a rough couple of days, I will say that,” he told Spectrum News 1 in May 2024, while falling well short of defending Noem’s actions. Trump did, however, add that he liked her “a lot.” Of course, Trump didn’t like her enough to tap her as VP.