South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, who is also considered a potential Republican vice-presidential candidate, has faced significant backlash following controversial revelations in her book, where she detailed shooting a dog and a goat. The governor defended the inclusion of these stories, saying they illustrated her readiness to handle difficult decisions. However, this defense did not alleviate the criticism damaging her prospects as a potential running mate for Donald Trump.

Further controversies have arisen concerning Noem’s claims of having met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, which were proven false, casting doubts on her credibility. Her attempts to deflect focus onto other politicians’ misstatements did little to mitigate the criticism. In media appearances, Noem struggled to confirm the alleged meeting with Kim Jong-un, amplifying scrutiny over her honesty.

Additionally, Noem’s ambition to secure a prominent position at the National Rifle Association came to light, with revelations that she had approached former NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre, showing interest in roles such as vice-president or CEO of the organization. This disclosure surfaced amid the controversies surrounding her book’s content, particularly her admission of killing her dog years ago, which sparked wide public and political critique.

Newsmax host Eric Bolling offered Noem a media platform to address the controversy, suggesting that a “liberal editor” might have influenced the inclusion of certain stories in her book “No Going Back”. Despite this, Noem acknowledged her full responsibility for the book’s content, which included a previously omitted anecdote about euthanizing her dog, Cricket.

These cumulative controversies have raised significant concerns about Noem’s judgment and credibility, casting a shadow over her future in high political office.