Former President Donald Trump is finally responding to the backlash South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem received after she admitted to killing Cricket, a 14-month-old dog, and a domestic goat several years ago.
In an interview with radio hosts Clay Travis and Buck Sexton, Trump called Noem a “terrific person” and emphasized that it was a “tough story.”
“I think [Noem’s] amazing. There’s no doubt about it, these are some gross stories,” Trump said. “When people hear the story of the dog and they hear it, people from different parts of the country may have some different feelings, but it’s a tough one. s story. “
“She’s had a bad week. We all have bad weeks,” the Republican presidential candidate added.
Noem, considered a potential running mate for Trump, faced criticism after excerpts from her memoir No Turn Back: The Truth About Political Mistakes and How We Move America Forward revealed how she killed cricket.
The former president seemed to suggest that Noem was not entirely responsible for the contents of her book.
“She was doing very well until this week. She was hit hard and sometimes you write books and someone writes books and you might not read them carefully, you know,” Trump continued. “You also have ghostwriters. They help you, but in this case, they don’t provide much help.”
The incident, along with other recent controversies about Noem, has hurt her chances as Trump’s potential running mate.
Also read: South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem banned from 20% of state, but not for killing crickets
Kristi Noem defends killing of dogs, goats
Noem said in her book that she killed the German Wirehaired Pointer on her property because she took it pheasant hunting. She mentioned that she “hated” the cricket and accused it of killing a neighbor’s hen and trying to bite her. She even called her dog “untrainable” and “dangerous.”
She also spoke of the murder of a “filthy and mean” billy goat that used to smell bad and chase her children.
The South Dakota governor went on to say President Joe Biden’s dog “Commander” should be killed like “Cricket” after he attacked several Secret Service agents. Commander was removed from the White House in October and handed over to Biden’s relatives.
Some Democratic governors and conservatives ultimately accused Noem of murdering the pet. She defended her actions, however, saying the killing and her willingness to disclose it demonstrated her sincerity and ability to make tough decisions.
After Trump’s interview aired on Tuesday, Biden campaign spokesman James Singer issued a statement saying they were proudly opposed to the killing of puppies and “do not think those who murder puppies are ‘terrible.'”