REPORT: Top Trump VP Candidate Removed From Consideration: ‘No Shot’

It was the shot heard ’round the world of politics and one that killed the chances of a candidate previously on the shortlist to join the ticket of former President Donald Trump.

Sources close to the former president who spoke with the New York Post said there is dismay and disappointment in their camp after learning that North Dakota Governor Kristi Noem included a story about killing a puppy in her new memoir, “No Going Back: The Truth on What’s Wrong with Politics and How We Move America Forward.” The inclusion has sealed her fate, at least for the 2024 elections. “She was already unlikely to be picked as VP, but had a shot,” said a source close to Trump. “After this, it’s just impossible.”

In her book, Gov. Noem leans into the theme of tough choices growing up and living in rural America. The story of Cricket, a 14-month-old wirehaired pointer, involves the Republican’s decision to shoot the puppy in a gravel pit after it killed one of her neighbor’s chickens. Noem wrote that the pup’s “aggressive personality” made him “untrainable” as a hunting dog.

Another ally of Trump compared the fiasco to one surrounding Mitt Romney in 2012 when he was skewered for sharing a story about how he put the family dog in a crate on the roof of his car during family trips.

“Trump isn’t a dog person necessarily,” this person said, “but I think he understands that you can’t choose a puppy killer as your pick, for blatantly obvious reasons.” Trump personally “likes Kristi a lot,” but was “disappointed when hearing the ‘dog’ story,” added another source. “It certainly has not enhanced her chances, but no decision has been made concerning any of the VP candidates,” they added.

Elsewhere in her book, Noem recounts the story of a “nasty and mean” male goat who “loved to chase” her children around. She eventually “dragged him to the gravel pit” and shot him, burying him alongside Cricket.

Both retellings were attempts by the governor to portray her as unafraid to make the tough choices to keep America safe, but the saga of Cricket has had legs since Friday, a testament to America’s love of dogs and fury at any behavior by humans that smells of abuse or neglect.

Noem doubled down on her book less than two days after criticism rolled in. “I can understand why some people are upset about a 20-year-old story of Cricket, one of the working dogs at our ranch, in my upcoming book — No Going Back. The book is filled with many honest stories of my life, good and bad days, challenges, painful decisions, and lessons learned,” Noem wrote on X Sunday.

“The fact is, South Dakota law states that dogs who attack and kill livestock can be put down. Given that Cricket had shown aggressive behavior toward people by biting them, I decided what I did,” she added.

No decision on a VP has been made by Trump, though Noem in the past had said she would have filled the role “in a heartbeat” if asked. Another believed to be in consideration is Tucker Carlson, who was recommended by former First Lady Melania Trump.

Those under consideration also include U.S. Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH), Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake. Two others who have also made the shortlist are Congressman Byron Donalds (R-FL), appearing with Trump on the campaign trail; and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) who has used her position to support pro-Trump policies and colleagues in Congress.

Asked last month about the possibility of a Trump-Carlson ticket, President Trump responded, “I like Tucker a lot. … He’s got great common sense.”