CNN Panel Debates Whether Kristi Noem’s Controversial Dog Euthanasia Story is a Bid for Trump Favor

A panel on CNN debated whether South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem’s shocking story of euthanizing her farm puppy, who was deemed “untrainable”, served as an attempt to win favor with former President Donald Trump. During the discussion, which followed reports in The Guardian that detailed excerpts from Noem’s upcoming memoir “No Going Back”, CNN anchor Kasie Hunt suggested that Governor Noem might be trying to appeal directly to Mr. Trump due to his infamous dislike of dogs and his history of labelling opponents as “dogs.” However, Republican strategist Matt Gorman dismissed this theory, arguing that the book was written months ago and had gone through multiple editors before publication. CNN legal analyst Elliot Williams also expressed confusion about Noem’s decision to share such a story but suggested it could be an attempt by her to demonstrate toughness in front of Trump, who values strong leadership qualities, particularly amongst female candidates. Former White House Communications Director for President Joe Biden’s administration, Kate Bedingfield contested this idea and asserted that the backlash generated as a result would render Noem “radioactive” across political lines due to her actions. The Guardian reported that in her memoir, Governor Noem described how she took Cricket – an untrained 14-month old female dog – to a gravel pit near her farm and shot it dead because of its aggressive behavior towards people and livestock. After facing criticism following the initial reports, Governor Noem defended her decision in part by stating that “tough decisions like this happen all the time on farms” due to South Dakota’s laws regarding dogs who attack or kill livestock being put down. The book is slated for publication next month, with The Guardian further explaining its content as containing a range of stories about Noem’s life – both good and bad experiences – which she details alongside her personal struggles and the lessons that were learned throughout this period in time.