New Kristi Noem Hunting Photo With Gun, Dog Sparks Concerned Comments
Noem posted the photo a day after news broke that she was no longer special envoy to the Shield of the Americas.
Former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem celebrated the start of pheasant hunting season in South Dakota with a X post on Saturday, showing her in hunting attire holding a gun and a dog. The image sparked numerous concerned comments online. This follows a day after a State Department official announced Noem's departure from her position as special envoy to the Shield of the Americas coalition, a role she held after being fired as DHS secretary in March.
Noem clarified on Friday that the envoy position was a six-month appointment and she remains a senior adviser to the State Department. Noem, known for her hunting lifestyle, served as South Dakota's governor from 2019 to 2025. In 2024, she faced backlash for describing shooting her young dog, Cricket, after it attacked her family's chickens and bit her.
She defended her actions, stating that her children's safety was at risk due to the dog's behavior. The pheasant hunting season in South Dakota runs from October 17 to January 31, and dogs are crucial to the activity, helping locate birds and alert hunters.
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