Did Kristi Noem shoot her dog? 'No Going Back' and its various controversies, explained

In the span of a few weeks, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has found herself making headlines all over the world — though perhaps the tenor of the headlines are not quite what she or her allies imagined. To help you keep the controversies straight, here's a guide to the fervor surrounding South Dakota's first female governor and her latest book.

Who is Kristi Noem?

Kristi Noem is the governor of South Dakota and an emerging figure in conservative politics. She has been South Dakota's governor since 2019, and previously served in both the South Dakota House of Representatives and in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Did Kristi Noem kill her dog?

According to her book, yes.

In late April, The Guardian reported on excerpts from Noem's second autobiography "No Going Back: The Truth on What's Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward," where Noem wrote about having to put down a 14-month-old wirehair pointer named Cricket for being "untrainable." According to Noem, Cricket had disrupted a pheasant hunt and later attacked and killed chickens belonging to a local family during a visit by Noem.

"We love animals, but tough decisions like this happen all the time on a farm," Noem posted on X in response. "Sadly, we just had to put down 3 horses a few weeks ago that had been in our family for 25 years."

The backlash to the anecdote was swift and bipartisan, and Noem doubled down on the 20-year-old story, claiming it showed her willingness to make tough choices. She also claimed that past political opponents had tried using the story against her and that it was a well-known story in South Dakota, although South Dakota Searchlight has reported that her opponents deny such a thing.

More: For Gov. Noem's political career, there's 'No Going Back' after dog story: Analysis

Did Kristi Noem lie in her book 'No Going Back' about meeting Kim Jong-Un?

In early May, The Dakota Scout reported on an excerpt from "No Going Back" that detailed meetings with multiple world leaders through her tenure on the House Armed Services Committee.

"I remember when I met with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un," she wrote in the passage. "I'm sure he underestimated me, having no clue about my experience staring down little tyrants (I'd been a children's pastor, after all)."

"It was brought to our attention that the upcoming book ‘No Going Back’ has two small errors,” Noem's spokesperson Ian Fury told the New York Times, according to reporting from USA TODAY. “This has been communicated to the ghostwriter and editor. Kim Jong-un was included in a list of world leaders and shouldn’t have been."

Another correction to the book was also made regarding the timing of a phone call between Noem and former presidential candidate Nikki Haley.

That anecdote might not be the only story in need of a fact-check. According to NBC News reporting in mid-May, an official with the government of France disputed a portion of Noem's book describing a canceled meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. Fury responded to the report on X, saying, "Governor Noem was invited to sit in President Macron’s box for the Armistice Day Parade at Arc de Triomphe. Following his anti-Israel comments, she chose to cancel."

The Argus Leader has reached out multiple times to speak with Fury directly about the controversies surrounding Gov. Noem's book, as well as requested the opportunity to speak with Noem directly. As of Monday, the Argus Leader has not received a response.

More: South Dakota Democratic Party leaders call for state comms chief's removal from office

Will Kristi Noem be Donald Trump's Vice President pick?

In short: Maybe.

Noem's rising fame in conservative circles and clear loyalty to Trump made her an early favorite to land the coveted spot at the side of the former president during his latest campaign for the nation's top office.

“She’s a proven leader, especially through COVID,” Trump supporter Donavan Wallenburg told South Dakota News Watch close to the Iowa Caucuses. “I’m a business owner here in Iowa, but there were a lot of times I wished I would have been in South Dakota under what she had going on. She’s also for farmers and the Second Amendment. She’s awesome.”

More: Who might be Donald Trump’s running mate in 2024?

Noem's dog story, however, has thrown a wrench in her odds. Trump himself has not publicly weighed in on the matter, though larger media outlets like The Hill and New York Post have cited purported unnamed Trump allies claiming Noem now has no shot at a VP ticket, with the latter even including a quote from an anonymous source, saying the former president reacted with disappointment at hearing about the story.

Other contenders for Trump's running mate include Governor Greg Abbott of Texas, former presidential candidate and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

The Argus Leader's Dominik Dausch and USA TODAY's Riley Beggin contributed.

Gabriela Velasquez is an audience engagement specialist for the Des Moines Register and Sioux Falls Argus Leader. You can find her on X (formerly known as Twitter) @not_gabriela.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: What to know about Kristi Noem's 'No Going Back' controversies