Kristi Noem banned from South Dakota tribal lands

South Dakota’s governor, Kristi Noem, has been banned from visiting tribal lands in her state by Indigenous groups. This ban comes after Noem made controversial comments connecting tribal leaders to drug cartels. The Flandreau Santee Sioux tribe was the last of the nine tribes in South Dakota to vote to ban Noem from their property. Members of the tribe felt uncomfortable and upset that she had not been prohibited earlier. They wanted to show solidarity with other tribes in South Dakota and the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, which are Sioux groups from the Great Plains region. Noem, who is a supporter of Donald Trump, faced outrage after revealing in a book that she had shot her family dog and goat. She also claimed that tribal leaders were benefiting from drug cartels, which caused further controversy. Some tribes had already banned Noem for using offensive language to gain favor with Trump. Despite the bans, Noem has not apologized and continues to stand by her statements. The Flandreau Santee Sioux tribe requested that Noem clarify her statements and issue an apology to all tribal nations. They stand with other tribes in supporting the ban. Noem has been accused of making offensive comments about South Dakota reservations and claiming that tribal nations collaborate with Mexican drug cartels. She remains banned from nearly 20% of South Dakota due to her remarks. Despite facing criticism, Noem has not backed down from her controversial statements.