Topline
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said she has “made some changes” to her upcoming memoir, “No Going Back,” but won’t be retracting the book—which originally contained a story about meeting North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
Key Facts
“As soon as it was brought to my attention, we went forward and have made some edits,” Noem told CBS News’ Margaret Brennan—but refused to deny she ever met with the North Korean dictator.
“This anecdote shouldn’t have been in the book, and as soon as it was brought to my attention, I made sure that that was adjusted,” the Republican governor said, telling the host the story about meeting Kim Jong Un will not appear in new copies.
Noem’s stories about meeting with world leaders were from her time serving as a representative for South Dakota in Congress and serving on the House Armed Services Committee—a role in which she visited Japan, China and South Korea, but did not include an official meeting with Kim Jong Un.
In her interview Sunday, Noem did claim that she visited North Korea—at least to the Demilitarized Zone, a 160-mile long strip of no-man’s-land that divides the country from South Korea—on a trip she said was included in her upcoming book.
“I’m taking responsibility for the change that we’ve made,” Noem said, seconds before denying it was a mistake in the first place.
Noem’s office did not immediately return a request for comment from Forbes.
News Peg
“I remember when I met with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un,” Noem wrote in an excerpt published by the Dakota Scout on Thursday, adding “I’m sure he underestimated me, having no clue about my experience staring down little tyrants (I’d been a children’s pastor, after all).” Noem’s office quickly backpedaled on the story, telling Forbes in a statement that an error had been communicated with her ghostwriter, and that “Kim Jong Un was included in a list of world leaders and shouldn’t have been.”
Crucial Quote
“I’ve met with many world leaders,” Noem said. “There are many that I’ve met with who are in this book, there are many that I’ve met with who are not in this book, and this is an anecdote that I’ve asked to be removed because I don’t think it’s appropriate at this time.” Noem refused to confirm or deny whether she had met with Kim Jong Un, later telling Brennan: “I’m not going to talk to you about those personal meetings that I’ve had with world leaders. I’m just not going to have that conversation because I think it’s important.”
Key Background
Noem has long been considered on the short list for a possible vice presidential nomination from former President Donald Trump. However, her chances have fallen fast in the last week after excerpts of her upcoming book have made headlines. In one excerpt published by The Guardian, Noem recalled shooting and killing her 14-month-old dog, named Cricket, after she ruined a pheasant hunt and attacked a neighbor’s chicken coop. Noem has spent the last week defending her actions, and continued to do so Sunday. “This was a dangerous animal that was killing livestock and attacking people. And I had little children at the time, our operation had many kids running around, and people, and interaction with the public, and I made a difficult choice.” Noem said she deliberately included the story in the book to not be one of the “politicians who pretend to be something that they’re not.” She also likened her struggles to control the Cricket narrative to scrutiny of Trump’s campaign and ongoing legal battles.
Tangent
Noem also connected her story about Cricket to President Joe Biden’s issues with his German shepherd, Commander, who was removed from the White House in October after multiple biting incidents. According to the new book, Noem said her first matter of business after retaking the White House would be to “make sure that Joe Biden’s dog was nowhere on the grounds. Commander, say hello to Cricket.” Noem stood by the controversial comments in her interview Sunday, saying “Joe Biden’s dog has attacked 24 Secret Service people. How many people is enough people to be attacked and dangerously hurt before you make a decision on a dog?”
