Former President Trump stated on Tuesday that South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem (R) has faced tough scrutiny over stories in her new book, including one about putting down her dog years ago.
Trump sat down for an interview with Spectrum News 1 Wisconsin on Tuesday prior to his court appearance in a hush money trial in New York City. He was asked about his upcoming choice of running mate, including Noem.
Trump mentioned that he has a high opinion of Noem and she has been a loyal supporter since the beginning, but he chose not to comment further.
“I don’t want to comment on anybody on the list,” Trump said. “But she had a rough couple of days, I will say that.”
Noem has faced criticism during the past week as she promotes her new book, “No Going Back.” In one story, she explained how around 20 years ago, she shot and killed her 14-month-old German wirehaired pointer, Cricket, due to bad behavior.
In another account that has been questioned, Noem described her meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. But after multiple reports raised doubts about its accuracy, a spokesperson for Noem’s office said Kim “was included in a list of world leaders and shouldn’t have been.” The publisher said it will remove the anecdote from reprints at Noem’s request.
Noem has been questioned about the sections of her book in interviews with CBS, NewsNation, Newsmax and Fox Business Network.
The South Dakota governor was once seen as one of the top contenders to serve as Trump’s running mate in November’s election, but her book tour and other controversies have ruined her chances, according to sources close to Trump.
