The White House responded sharply to South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem’s recent comments regarding President Joe Biden’s pets, calling them “disturbing” and “absurd.” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre condemned Noem’s suggestion that one of Biden’s pets should suffer the same fate as the dog she admitted shooting.
During a press briefing on Monday, Jean-Pierre expressed concern over Noem’s remarks, emphasizing that the United States is a nation that loves dogs and finding it troubling that a leader would discuss putting dogs down.
Noem’s controversial statements stem from her forthcoming memoir, in which she boasted about killing her dog, Cricket, after deeming it “untrainable.” She also suggested in the book that Biden’s dog, Commander, should meet a similar fate.
Commander, a 2-year-old German shepherd, was removed from the White House last October after being involved in multiple biting incidents. Noem’s comments have sparked bipartisan backlash, with many criticizing her for her stance on animal welfare.
During a recent appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Noem was questioned about whether she believed Commander should be killed. While she did not explicitly advocate for the dog’s death, she emphasized the need for accountability regarding the safety of White House staff.
Internal documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request revealed that Commander had bitten Secret Service personnel in at least 24 incidents, prompting concerns about workplace safety among White House staff.
Despite efforts to address Commander’s behavior through training and consultations with animal behaviorists, the decision was made to relocate him to Delaware, where he currently resides with Biden family members.
The Bidens’ other dog, Major, was also sent away to Delaware after causing an injury to a Secret Service agent. While the Bidens expressed regret over the incidents involving their dogs, President Biden has lightened the mood by joking about the situation at public events.
