In one sense, Kristi Noem has had a successful launch of her new book: America can’t stop talking about it.
But all the buzz is not for the reasons Ms. Noem, the conservative governor of South Dakota, might have anticipated when she completed “No Going Back,” a memoir detailing her political journey. The book seems to be aimed at boosting her profile as a MAGA loyalist while former President Donald J. Trump weighs his options for a running mate. Just a month ago, Ms. Noem was widely considered a contender.
Instead of highlighting her conservative credentials, Ms. Noem has spent the past week on national television defending a controversial story in the book in which she shoots her dog in a gravel pit. The incident, involving the killing of her 14-month-old wire-haired pointer named Cricket, has sparked bipartisan criticism and scrutiny.
The book, released on Tuesday, contains several other notable details, some of which Ms. Noem has discussed in recent interviews. Here are five key takeaways.
Noem is critical of other Republicans.
Ms. Noem’s narrative of her tenure in office — first as South Dakota’s sole House representative and then as governor — features numerous accounts that broadly criticize Republicans for their electoral setbacks, while also singling out figures who have drawn the ire of Mr. Trump.
She recounts a phone conversation with Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor who withdrew from the Republican presidential primary race in March, alleging that Ms. Haley had threatened her due to their shared prominence as Republican women. Chaney Denton, a spokeswoman for Ms. Haley, has refuted Ms. Noem’s version of the conversation, calling it inaccurate and “just plain weird.”
Ms. Noem also holds Ronna McDaniel, the former chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, responsible for the poor performance of Republican candidates in the 2022 midterms, criticizing her for not backing Mr. Trump’s unfounded claims of election fraud — despite Ms. Noem admitting in that section that “Trump lost in 2020.”
“We got complacent, and no one was held accountable,” she asserts, suggesting that Mr. Trump was unfairly blamed for the GOP’s underperformance. She also calls out the National Republican Congressional Committee, the House Republicans’ campaign arm, although she expresses optimism for 2024 and a willingness to assist.
Ms. Noem dedicates a section of the book to RINOs — Republicans in Name Only — a term favored by Mr. Trump to criticize dissenters within the party.
“In many ways, these political creatures are worse than some donkeys,” Ms. Noem writes, referring to Democrats as “donkeys” in that segment.
However, Ms. Noem also takes a swipe at certain far-right Republicans in her party, attributing recent election defeats to them.
“Losing is tough. And Republicans seem to excel at it,” she claims in one section, adding: “Candidates talk like lunatics, make outrageous claims, and offer grand promises. And they lose. Of course, there are some eccentric candidates, but I’m not referring to them. This is about decent individuals who choose the path of hurling insults and echoing whatever’s on social media, rather than speaking sensibly and modestly proposing solutions.”
Noem reflects on the “difficult” decision to shoot her dog and suggests one of President Biden’s dogs should be euthanized as well.
Ms. Noem has staunchly defended her choice to euthanize her dog, Cricket, and her puzzling decision to include the anecdote in her memoir.
In the book, she recounts an incident where Cricket killed a neighbor’s chickens and attempted to bite Ms. Noem as she tried to restrain her. After bringing Cricket home and shooting her, Ms. Noem writes, “I realized another unpleasant task needed to be done. Walking back up to the yard, I spotted our billy goat.”
The goat, according to Ms. Noem, was aggressive and unpleasant, emitted a foul odor, and frequently chased her children. Consequently, she also took him to the gravel pit — but failed to kill him with the initial shot, necessitating a return to her truck for more ammunition to complete the job.
In an interview with Sean Hannity last week, Ms. Noem stated that she had included the story in the book to illustrate the “tough, challenging decisions that I’ve had to make throughout my life.”
During an appearance on “Face the Nation” on CBS on Sunday, Ms. Noem drew attention to another section of the book in which she suggested that one of President Biden’s dogs, a bite-prone German shepherd named Commander, should also be put down.
In a passage discussing what Ms. Noem would do on her first day as president, she wrote, “the first thing I’d do is make sure Joe Biden’s dog was nowhere on the grounds (‘Commander, say hello to Cricket for me’).” Ms. Noem reiterated a similar sentiment in her Sunday interview.
“Are you suggesting he should be shot?” inquired the CBS host Margaret Brennan.
“That’s what the president should be held accountable to,” Ms. Noem responded.
The print version of the book contains a false account of Noem meeting Kim Jong-un.
In the memoir, Ms. Noem claims to have met with Kim Jong-un, the North Korean dictator, while serving on the House Armed Services Committee.
“I had the opportunity to travel to various countries to meet with world leaders — some seeking our assistance, and others not,” she writes. “I recall meeting with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. I’m certain he underestimated me, unaware of my experience in confronting petty tyrants (after all, I had been a children’s pastor). Engaging with foreign leaders demands determination, preparation, and resolve.”
This was an error, according to Ian Fury, Ms. Noem’s chief of communications. Ms. Noem has acknowledged in subsequent interviews that she takes “responsibility for the oversight,” but has not clarified why the anecdote was included or who she might have been referring to if not Mr. Kim. She has also disputed characterizations of the false anecdote as a mistake.
“This is an anecdote that I requested to be removed, as I believe it is appropriate at this time,” Ms. Noem stated in her “Face the Nation” interview. “However, I will not discuss those private meetings I have had with world leaders.”
Noem paints a glowing picture of Trump and hints at her future ambitions.
In her memoir, Ms. Noem lavishes praise on the former president, portraying him as “a disruptor and a builder,” and noting, “He was consistently attacked for personal and fictional shortcomings but remained in the race and resolute.”
She also recalls that she defended Mr. Trump in a speech the day after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, “despite the undeniable ugliness of the events on January 6.”
At one point, she suggests that Mr. Trump, “in some amusing ways,” resembles her young granddaughter.
“I see parallels between Trump and my granddaughter, Miss Addie (that’s what I call her),” Ms. Noem writes. “She’s nearly three years old and, in my unbiased opinion, one of the most brilliant individuals I’ve ever met (tied for first place with my grandson, naturally!)”
While Ms. Noem may be positioning herself as a potential running mate for Mr. Trump, she asserts in the book that if she is selected, it should not be because she is a woman.
“The national media frequently asks me if I believe Donald Trump should choose a woman as vice president,” Ms. Noem writes. “My response always centers on selecting the most qualified individuals for the job.”
The final chapter of the book focuses not on vice-presidential aspirations but on what she would do on “Day 1” if elected president. It commences with a quote from Mr. Trump in December stating that if he were elected president, he wouldn’t act like a dictator, “except on Day 1.”
In addition to putting federal properties up for sale and convening a bipartisan immigration working group, Ms. Noem outlines that she would invite the Obamas and Bidens to the White House for a screening of “The Grey,” a Liam Neeson movie about confronting wolves that she earlier mentioned as one of her favorites.
Noem provides a somewhat embellished account of protests outside the White House in 2020.
In the book’s introduction, Ms. Noem recounts a tumultuous protest outside Mr. Trump’s 2020 renomination event at the White House in August, which she describes as a pivotal moment for her — inspiring her to lead a meaningful life regardless of where that commitment may lead her. She depicts a Washington under siege.
“Explosions and screams could be heard in the distance,” she recalls. “On the other side of the fence, sounds of shouting and chaos. I caught a whiff of what we assumed was tear gas. We were trapped.”
However, her portrayal of a “massive and, at times, violent protest” does not align with contemporaneous reports.
There was a significant demonstration outside the White House during Mr. Trump’s renomination event — one that sought to disrupt his acceptance speech with noise. Reports from that time described the demonstration as “largely peaceful” and “considerably smaller” than the protests forcibly dispersed by Mr. Trump earlier that spring. There is no evidence that tear gas was used that evening.
