Trump saw top aide’s history of shooting dog as an ‘asset’ for his cabinet, book claims

PoliticsPets
28 Feb 2026 • 5:19 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • A new book, Undue Process: The Inside Story of Trump’s Mass Deportation Program, by Julia Ainsley, reveals that Donald Trump believed Kristi Noem's admission of shooting her dog made her an asset for his cabinet.
  • Noem's memoir detailed her shooting an "untrainable" dog and a family goat, which she presented as an act of responsible pet ownership.
  • Despite widespread public mockery, Noem has become a powerful figure within the Trump administration, tasked with implementing a mass deportation agenda at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
  • The book alleges "constant chaos" within the DHS, with Noem reportedly prioritizing personal stardom and her advisor, Corey Lewandowski, wielding "unchecked power."
  • Lewandowski, hired as a "special government employee," is accused of controlling access to Noem and advocating for harsh detention facilities, such as "Alligator Alcatraz," for migrants.

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