Kristi Noem, the former “ICE Barbie” who faced intense backlash after writing about killing a dog, has once again drawn online criticism after sharing a glamorous hunting photo with her current dog. Commenters focused on the animal’s uneasy expression, with several saying the pup appeared “petrified.”
In the image, Noem posed with freshly styled curls beneath a camouflage hat and jacket. A vivid orange fleece and matching hat coordinated with her dog Foster’s collar, while she held the animal in one hand and a hunting rifle in the other.
“Happy Opener, South Dakota! Foster and I wish you good luck in the field!” Noem wrote in the accompanying post.
“Pheasant hunting is part of who we are, and it’s a tradition worth passing on to our kids and grandkids,” she added.
Noem also highlighted a program introduced during her time as South Dakota governor that converted land into wildlife habitat designed to support hunting.
The post quickly sparked concern for Foster because of a disturbing account Noem previously shared in her memoir about killing her former hunting dog, Cricket.
Before joining the Trump administration, Noem wrote in her book, No Going Back, that she shot Cricket in a gravel pit after deciding the 14-month-old dog was “untrainable.”
The account spread widely online and became closely linked to Noem’s public image. After she posted the new hunting photo, social media users revived the controversy and used it to mock her latest appearance with Foster.
Kristi Noem faced a wave of social media criticism after sharing a photo of herself hunting with her dog. Picture source: X/@KristiNoem
Noem has posted several pictures with her hunting dog, Foster. In her memoir, she previously acknowledged killing her former dog, Cricket. Picture source: Facebook
Noem served as Donald Trump’s Department of Homeland Security secretary before being dismissed amid several controversies. She is pictured filming an advertisement last October.
“The worst possible thing you could post would be a dog and a gun, lady. Come on,” one commenter wrote.
Another user said Foster looked “nervous AF,” adding, “Can’t blame him.”
“You can see the pleading for help in his eyes,” a third person commented.
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“That’s the face of a dog that read her book,” another critic quipped.
“Look at that intense stare! He knows!” a fifth user added.
In her memoir, Noem said Cricket was just 14 months old when she killed him. She described the dog as having an “aggressive personality” and recounted an incident in which he misbehaved during a hunting outing.
Noem portrayed Cricket as acting like a “trained assassin,” claiming the dog killed chickens and bit her.
“I hated that dog,” Noem wrote, describing Cricket as “less than worthless” and “untrainable.”
Noem said the story was intended to demonstrate her willingness to make difficult decisions in politics and in life. Instead, the passage prompted widespread criticism and became one of the most controversial moments associated with her political career.
‘We love animals, but tough decisions like this happen all the time on a farm,’ Noem said on social media after the story went viral.
Noem said in her book, pictured above, that she killed Cricket with a gun after he proved to be ‘untrainable.’ Picture source: Amazon
Even though Noem had a long career in politics before her brush with the Trump administration, the shooting of her family dog was an introduction for many to her.
The controversy became the first of many for Noem as she stepped further into the spotlight. After just over a year at the helm of Department of Homeland Security (DHS), she was fired.
And just weeks after Noem departed DHS, photos published by Our News Outlet showed her husband, Bryon, posing in tight pink shorts and a flesh-colored crop top stretched over enormous fake breasts.
Noem filed for divorce late last month.
After her stint at DHS, Noem was appointed to a position at the State Department as a special envoy for The Shield of the Americas. That role expired last month, and she is now transitioning to a position with the department as a senior advisor, Noem wrote in a statement on Friday.
Our News Outlet has reached out to Noem’s representatives for comment.
