Kristi Noem: When Trump’s New Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem Admitted Killing Her Dog Cricket | World News

President-elect Donald Trump has chosen the governor of South Dakota Kristi Noem as his new Department of Homeland Security secretary, according to two people familiar with the choice.
Noem’s appointment signals Trump’s determination to keep his immigration promises. Alongside Noem, key immigration hardliners Stephen Miller and Tom Homan will take senior positions, reflecting the administration’s focus on tough regulation Immigration policy. Trump’s election ensures that a loyal supporter is at the helm DHSan agency central to his domestic agenda.
During Trump’s previous administration, DHS faced significant upheaval, with five different leaders, only two of whom were confirmed by the Senate. As head of this massive department, Noem will manage a $60 billion budget and oversee hundreds of thousands of employees. DHS oversees U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the U.S. Secret Service.
Noem’s political journey has been closely tied to Trump. She was previously a leading candidate for vice president, although her relationship with Trump has cooled following the fallout from her book “No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward.” In it, Noem told the story of how she had her 14-month-old wirehaired dog, Cricket, euthanized after the dog failed to show his hunting promise, which led to backlash. Noem described cricket as “uncoachable” and recalled that the experience served to illustrate her willingness to tackle difficult tasks.
While some criticized Noem’s portrayal and drew comparisons to previous controversies between politicians and pets, she defended her choice as an example of making “difficult, necessary decisions.” The dog had caused problems on several hunting trips and even killed chickens. Noem’s account didn’t end there, as she also described how she killed a family goat in a similarly direct manner, underscoring her commitment to decisive action in challenging situations.
After the book’s publication, reactions to Noem’s accounts of animal euthanasia were mixed, with some critics calling them “deliberately cruel.” Others in the hunting community expressed disgust at her behavior, particularly when it came to dealing with Cricket’s training and her ultimate fate. However, Noem responded by saying, “Difficult decisions like this happen on a farm all the time,” and mentioned that she recently had to euthanize three horses that had been with her family for over two decades.