Noem says "I want the truth to be out there" after viral story of killing her dog

Washington — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said connected Sunday that she's "not retracting anything" aft facing backlash for stories astir sidesplitting her young canine and a mendacious declare astir gathering pinch Kim Jong Un, though she said nan second communicative will beryllium adjusted successful her book.

"I'm truthful proud of this book and what it will bring to people," Noem said connected "Face nan Nation" connected Sunday. "I'm not retracting anything."

• Transcript: South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem connected "Face nan Nation," May 5, 2024

The Republican governor, who had been considered among a database of possible moving mates for erstwhile President Donald Trump successful his latest White House bid, has been wide criticized aft penning successful her caller book astir killing her dog decades ago, a communicative that went viral successful caller days.   

She writes successful her book that nan 14-month-old wirehaired pointer named Cricket had shown fierce behavior, while she was training nan canine for pheasant hunting. She said connected Sunday that she made nan prime to protect her children from a "dangerous animal." 

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem connected "Face nan Nation," May 5, 2024. PapaRead News

"I would inquire everybody successful nan state to put themselves successful that situation," she said. "As a mom, I made a prime betwixt protecting my children, and protecting them from a vulnerable animal that was sidesplitting livestock and attacking people."

But nan anecdote has spurred questions astir her governmental future. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich told Politico that Noem's penning astir sidesplitting her canine "ended immoderate anticipation of her being picked arsenic VP."

Noem defended nan anecdote and nan book much broadly, saying it's "filled pinch susceptible achy moments successful my life."

"I want nan truth to beryllium retired location and to understand that these animals were attacking my children, that we unrecorded connected a workplace and a ranch and that reliable decisions are made galore times and it is to protect people," Noem said.  

She added that nan logic nan communicative is successful nan book is because "people request to understand who I am" and immoderate of nan "difficult decisions" she's made. She said that nan communicative is "well known successful South Dakota" and her "political opponents person tried to usage against maine for years."

The South Dakota politician has besides faced scrutiny for specifications successful nan book astir mentioning a gathering with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during her clip successful Congress that appeared to beryllium an error. Noem said nan anecdote shouldn't person been included successful nan book and has been adjusted. 

"This is an anecdote that I asked to person removed because I deliberation it's due astatine this constituent successful time," she said.