South Dakota’s Republican Governor, Kristi Noem, has gained significant attention as a potential running mate for former President Donald Trump in the 2024 election. Trump himself has mentioned that she was on his shortlist as of February.
Last year, he expressed his admiration for her, stating, “I have a strong liking for her. I believe she is exceptional. Kristi has done an outstanding job.”
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According to multiple sources familiar with Kristi Noem and Donald Trump’s deliberations, it seems that Noem’s standing with Trump has become uncertain. This is largely due to a series of peculiar controversies and decisions made by Noem.
In March, the negative headlines started pouring in when Governor Noem released a well-produced video personally endorsing an out-of-state dentist, which led to a lawsuit alleging deceptive advertising. The scrutiny surrounding her intensified when it was revealed in her upcoming memoir that she made the decision to shoot one of her young dogs due to its alleged “untrainable” nature and aggressive behavior.
Noem’s office has not responded to ABC News regarding the legal complaint linked to the promotional video, and she has yet to file a response in court, according to records.
According to a source familiar with the running mate talks, Noem’s chances of joining Trump’s ticket have been seriously weakened. This is due to a combination of her controversial handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and allegations of over-auditioning. These episodes have raised questions about her judgment and suitability for the role.
Sean Spicer, Trump’s former White House press secretary, who still maintains contact with the former president’s team, stated that everyone unanimously agrees that she ruined her chances, with a pun intended.
According to Spicer, the more significant concern from a political standpoint is questioning why anyone involved in the process, including editors and agents, believed including this anecdote in a book was a wise decision. He compares it to a job applicant voluntarily admitting to stealing office furniture during an interview.
Noem’s office chose not to provide any comments for this story.
In a heartbeat, she expressed her desire to join Trump as his running mate, a sentiment she has been openly sharing for several months.
She also endorsed Trump early on, embracing his aggressive and determined approach in her state. She even stated that she would support him, even if he were to be found guilty of the charges he faces in New York regarding hush money paid in 2016 to hide allegations of an affair from voters. Trump, however, maintains his innocence.
According to sources, Noem’s style and presentation have played a significant role in keeping her name in the conversation as a potential running mate, despite concerns about a past controversy involving her daughter obtaining a real estate license. Noem has maintained her innocence, and her daughter has defended her reputation. Additionally, there has been scrutiny of aspects of Noem’s personal life and questions about whether her policy portfolio is too hard-line to broaden Trump’s appeal beyond the GOP base.
In March, the conversation surrounding Noem took a different direction when she released a unique video endorsing the services she received from a Texas dentist.
Travelers United, a consumer advocacy group, filed a lawsuit against Noem, accusing her of engaging in “misleading” and “deceptive” advertising. The lawsuit claimed that Noem had a “financial relationship” with the dental practice but failed to disclose this agreement.
In her upcoming memoir, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has sparked a wave of controversy with a revealing excerpt. The passage recounts her difficult decision to euthanize her 14-month-old dog, Cricket. Noem explains that Cricket had displayed an aggressive personality, which included attacking a family’s group of chickens. She also notes that Cricket was often “out of her mind with excitement.”
Noem expressed her dislike for the dog, Cricket, stating that she found the canine “untrainable.”
Noem faced criticism from animal advocates for personally shooting the dog, who deemed her actions excessive and inhumane. However, she stood by her decision and addressed the backlash by positioning herself as a politically incorrect politician who is unafraid to make tough choices and speak her mind.
According to her, the choice to put Cricket down was made twenty years ago.
In a statement on Sunday, Cricket’s owner acknowledged that South Dakota law permits the euthanization of dogs that attack and kill livestock. She emphasized that she took the decision to put Cricket down due to the dog’s aggressive behavior towards people, including instances of biting. The owner, who is actively involved in running the ranch and politics, asserted that she has always shouldered her responsibilities without passing them on to others, even when faced with difficult and painful choices.
Keeping a dog that chases, worries, injures, or kills any poultry or domestic animal is considered a misdemeanor under state law.
However, Noem’s explanation seemed to have little effect in alleviating the mounting concerns about her among individuals close to Trump.
According to one individual with knowledge of Trump’s aides’ perspective, they believed that the actions taken by the candidate were detrimental to her campaign. They opined that her lack of understanding of President Trump was evident in her decision to engage in activities that garnered media attention, regardless of whether it was positive or negative.
The source, similar to others, preferred not to be quoted by name in order to provide more honest and candid information or because they lacked the authorization to speak on the record about this.
According to one individual, multiple members of the Trump campaign have expressed their belief that Noem has disqualified herself.
According to multiple sources interviewed by ABC News, the recent controversy surrounding Noem has drawn comparisons to Sarah Palin. Like Palin, the former governor of Alaska who was thrust into the national spotlight as the Republican vice presidential nominee in 2008, Noem is being seen as ill-prepared for the challenges of a higher political position.
One former Noem staffer believes that the ongoing comparison between Sarah Palin and Kristi Noem has been flying under the radar for quite some time. The recent incident only serves to reinforce this comparison. It raises concerns about whether Noem can be viewed as a serious contender on the national stage when such distractions continue to arise.
Some sources have suggested that Noem was never seriously considered to be Trump’s vice president. They claim that the media attention surrounding her prospects was fueled by her own allies. However, it appears that Noem’s apparent enthusiasm for the position did not sit well with Trump.
According to a second source who has spoken with Trump about his VP pick, they stated that she is auditioning excessively.
According to a source, Trump has a dislike for obsequiousness and ubiquitousness. The source also highlighted that if someone is overly auditioning for the Vice President position, regardless of who they are, it would not be beneficial for Trump given his current priorities.
Trump is famous for constantly changing his circle of allies and his opinions about them. He has a habit of shunning top advisers only to bring them back into his fold later on.
Defenders, like Noem, also highlighted the fact that her dog Cricket served as a working animal, rather than a regular pet.
According to sources who spoke with ABC News, it was emphasized that the concerns of advisers hold little weight in comparison to Trump’s own hesitation in permanently removing individuals from his inner circle.
According to a third source familiar with the “veepstakes,” it is impossible to accurately predict the next vice president of the United States unless their name is Donald John Trump. The source highlights that Donald Trump himself has stated that there is no perfect candidate for the role. Trump’s criteria for selecting a vice president, as publicly stated, are that the person is ready to assume the role from day one and, more importantly, can contribute to his electoral success.
The Trump campaign responded to this story with a statement from spokesperson Brian Hughes, who made it clear that only Donald J. Trump himself knows who and when he will choose his Vice President. Hughes emphasized that anyone else claiming to have this information is simply not telling the truth.
The list of potential contenders goes beyond Noem and includes several notable figures. Among them are Senators Katie Britt of Alabama, Marco Rubio of Florida, Tim Scott of South Carolina, and JD Vance from Ohio. Additionally, Representatives Byron Donalds of Florida and Elise Stefanik of New York, as well as Governors Doug Burgum of North Dakota and Sarah Sanders of Arkansas, are also believed to be in the running.
Noem’s apparent decline in contention is unlikely to dampen the competition to become Trump’s running mate this November. With the national party convention approaching, sources suggest that this is exactly what Trump desires.
According to an individual who has had discussions with the former president, Trump is being extremely cautious with his VP pick in order to avoid sending a message that declares, “Here is the successor to MAGA.” Instead, he would rather have everyone compete and prove themselves worthy of becoming the heir to the movement he has established.
