Who is Kristi Noem trying to impress by bragging about killing her dog?

• Kristi Noem's forthcoming book reveals she shot and killed her family dog.
• The South Dakota governor said the 14-month-old animal bit her and attacked her family's chickens.

After The Guardian published excerpts from a forthcoming book by Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota detailing how she killed her daughter's young dog, the rising Republican politician has doubled down on the decision as a matter of principle.

According to her book "No Going Back," Noem owned a wirehaired-pointer puppy named Cricket. The 14-month-old dog, Noem said, had an "aggressive personality" and hadn't been trained to hunt properly.

Noem eventually decided to kill Cricket by bringing her to a gravel pit and shooting her. She also killed a "nasty and mean" goat that same day, according to her book.

After receiving vitriol from both Republicans and Democrats for the killings, Noem defended her actions on X. "I followed the law and was being a responsible parent, dog owner, and neighbor," she wrote.

Who, exactly, is Noem trying to win over by publicly sharing such a gruesome act?

Not South Dakota voters.

Noem, who won reelection in 2022, isn't eligible for another term in the governor's mansion. And while she's become a frequent presence on right-wing TV, bragging about killing family pets usually isn't the way one goes about building their brand and personal credibility.

Is it possible this was aimed at former President Donald Trump and his advisors?

Noem has been a part of several of Trump's campaign rallies over the past year and is being floated by pundits as a prospective vice-presidential running mate.

Trump has spoken negatively about dogs and didn't own one while in the White House — the closest he ever publicly got to one there was when awarding a medal to an injured dog. And he famously likes leaders whom he perceives as tough and mean.