The White House said on Monday that South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem should stop getting herself into trouble after she talked about the idea of shooting President Biden's dog, Commander, who had bitten Secret Service agents.
Noem has faced criticism recently for disclosing in her upcoming memoir that she put down her 14-month-old dog, Cricket, about 20 years ago. During an interview on CBS News's “Face the Nation” on Sunday, she indicated that Biden’s German shepherd, who had bitten Secret Service personnel at least two dozen times between October 2022 and June 2023, should have faced a similar fate.
“I would tell her that she should probably stop making things worse for herself,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters in response.
She also mentioned that the White House found Noem’s remarks about Commander on Sunday to be “disturbing” and “ridiculous.”
“This is a country that adores dogs, and you have a leader discussing the idea of euthanizing, killing them,” she remarked. “And that's a troubling thing to say.”
In her upcoming book, “No Going Back,” Noem wrote that if she ever reached the White House, she would handle Commander differently from Biden.
“Commander, say hi to Cricket,” she penned.
Jean-Pierre stated on Monday that Commander is now living with a relative in Delaware after departing the White House in October.
Noem, who is viewed as a potential vice presidential candidate for former President Trump’s 2024 ticket, informed CBS, “So, how many individuals need to be attacked and severely injured before a decision is made about a dog and what to do with it?”
“That's a question that the president should be answerable for,” she added.
