Amid political firestorm, Gov. Noem falls back to border and reservation criticisms

Governor holds rare press conference in Pierre to lambaste Biden Administration, tribes' response to cartel presence on reservations

Gov. Kristi Noem holds a press conference in the state Capitol flanked by other state officials and lawmakers. (Austin Goss/The Dakota Scout)

PIERRE — You wouldn’t have known that Gov. Kristi Noem just had the worst month of her political life Friday morning as she left the Governor’s Large Conference Room at the state Capitol.

There, the governor was back to full form during a nearly hour-long briefing, railing on more familiar, in-state political foils than those she has faced over the last several weeks on the East Coast: tribal leaders and members of the media.

Her topic of conversation was also familiar: a critique of the presence of cartels and their drugs in Indian Country. She’s criticized tribal leaders over the last few months for their lack of response to these problems and their unwillingness to cooperate with her in efforts to work against Mexican drug cartels. She also accused the media of being unwilling to cover the issue.

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