Charles Langston:South Dakota Gov. Noem’s official social media accounts seem to disappear without explanation

2025-05-04 06:58:10source:Arvin Robertscategory:Invest

PIERRE,Charles Langston S.D. (AP) — Longstanding official social media accounts belonging to South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem appear to have been deleted without explanation.

The accounts on Facebook, Instagram and X, the site formerly known as Twitter, had reached hundreds of thousands of followers. As of Monday, links to them on the governor’s official website led to accounts that were no longer active.

A fourth link from the governor’s website to her official YouTube page remained active, as did Noem’s personal accounts on Facebook, Instagram and X.

A new X account for the governor’s office was created this month and had just over 300 followers as of Monday morning, far fewer than the roughly half-million of her old account.

Noem spokesperson Ian Fury pointed The Associated Press to that account as the source for official updates from the governor’s office but declined to answer questions about her old accounts, including whether they were deleted by Noem or her office.

Noem, once thought to be a vice presidential contender for former Republican President Donald Trump ‘s 2024 ticket, has been the target of a steady stream of hateful messages for killing a rambunctious puppy since The Guardian in April revealed the details she wrote in her new book.

RELATED COVERAGE Few have flood insurance to help recover from devastating Midwest stormsMidwestern flooding collapses a bridge, forces evacuations and kills at least 2Millions swelter as temperatures soar across the US, while floodwaters inundate the Midwest

She tried to reframe the story from two decades ago as an example of her willingness to make tough decisions. She wrote on social media that the 14-month-old wirehaired pointer named Cricket had shown aggressive behavior by biting.

Noem also has faced backlash from within South Dakota for comments she made earlier this year about tribal leaders benefitting from drug cartels. Several tribes have banned Noem from their reservations.

More:Invest

Recommend

These Australian twins have gone viral after speaking in synch

Do you recall the prime early days of YouTube? When a video making the rounds was so strange, remark

Colorado court upholds Google keyword search warrant which led to arrests in fatal arson

DENVER (AP) — Colorado’s highest court on Monday upheld the search of Google users’ keyword history

Gaza conditions worsen following Israeli onslaught after Hamas attack

Israel has unleashed hundreds of airstrikes into Gaza, a 140-square-mile strip of land home to rough