Former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem bid South Dakota a happy pheasant hunting season on Saturday with a post on X that included a photo of her in hunting gear holding a gun while next to a dog, prompting a slew of concerned comments on the internet.
The post comes a day after a State Department official said that Noem was no longer special envoy to the Shield of the Americas coalition, which is a role she filled after being fired as DHS secretary in March. According to a document shared by Noem on X on Friday, the position was "always a six-month appointment," and Noem remains a senior adviser within the State Department.
Newsweek reached out to representatives for Noem by email and to the U.S. Department of State by online contact form for comment on Saturday afternoon.
Who Is Kristi Noem?
Noem served as governor of South Dakota from 2019 to 2025 before leaving the role to become President Donald Trump's DHS secretary. A prominent Trump ally and avid hunter, she was once considered a leading contender to be his running mate in 2024. However, that speculation faded after the publication of excerpts from her memoir No Going Back, in which she recounted shooting her 14-month-old dog, Cricket, after deeming it "untrainable," sparking widespread backlash.
She returned to the headlines earlier this year when The Daily Mail reported that her husband, Bryon Noem, had allegedly led a double life that included wearing fake breasts and communicating with fetish models online. Noem filed for divorce from her husband in September.
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Kristi Noem Special Envoy Role Ends
On Friday, news broke that Noem's role as special envoy to the Shield of the Americas had ended.
"Shield of the Americas" was a Trump administration security initiative focused on the Western Hemisphere, aimed at countering drug trafficking, transnational criminal networks and illegal migration.
As special envoy, Noem represented the administration as it coordinated with regional leaders on security and enforcement efforts. In that role, she reported to Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau. She is now senior adviser to Landau, where she will continue working on the Shield of the Americas initiative.
On Friday, Noem shared a screenshot of a comment from the Department of State regarding her change in position.
"The Special Envoy to the Shield of the Americas role was always a six-month appointment," the statement said. "Secretary Noem remains at the State Department as a Senior Advisor."
On Saturday, social media expressed concern over the dog pictured with Noem in her X post.
"Happy Opener, South Dakota! Foster and I wish you good luck in the field! Pheasant hunting is part of who we are, and it’s a tradition worth passing on to our kids and grandkids," Noem wrote in the post. "As Governor, I partnered with landowners to start the Second Century Initiative, helping turn marginal land into wildlife habitat so the next generation can enjoy the same hunting traditions we grew up with."
In the photo included with the post, Noem is seen wearing hunting gear, holding a rifle, and posing with a dog that looks to be a Vizsla. The post, which has received 2.2 million views as of Saturday afternoon, prompted thousands of comments. Many of them expressed concern over the dog's wellbeing.
"Save the dog," one user posted.
"Please don't kill him," another commented.
"The worst possible thing you could post would be a dog and a gun, lady. Come on," a third wrote.
The same post on Facebook prompted similar comments.
Pheasant hunting season in South Dakota begins on October 17 and ends on January 31. Dogs play an important role in the activity, as they can locate where the birds are hiding and then signal to their owners. Dogs can also charge at the bird, forcing it to fly into the air and giving the hunter a chance to shoot.
Kristi Noem Dog Controversy Explained
The excerpts from Noem's biography No Going Back: The Truth on What's Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward were published by British newspaper The Guardian in April 2024. In one part, Noem described shooting Cricket after it attacked a family's chickens and tried to bite Noem when she tried to grab the dog.
In addition to saying Cricket was "untrainable," Noem wrote that she "hated that dog."
Later, Noem defended her actions in an interview with Fox News, saying she killed Cricket because she was concerned for the safety of her children.
"You know, that story was a choice as a mom. The safety of my children versus a dangerous dog that was killing livestock and attacking people," she said at the time.
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here. Contact Newsweek editors for this story: Steve Mollman and Anthony Murray.