It’s been over a month since President Donald Trump fired Kristi Noem and replaced her with former Senator Markwayne Mullin, and the public is still reeling as details about her role and her personal life continue to unravel.

Between criticism of her management over ICE, rumors about her husband and her close relationship with her aide Corey Lewandowski, Noem can’t seem to catch a break as she falls under the umbrella of embarrassing moments in the public eye.

Support may be scarce, but the growing chatter about a comeback is already turning heads — the kind that feels messy and comes with a heavy dose of self-praise.

Kristi Noem’s statue debut weeks after her firing has people wondering how her comeback happened so fast. (Photo by Rodrigo BUENDIA / AFP via Getty Images)

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All eyes are on South Dakota and Noem’s comeback, where in a few months a life-size statue of former governor is set to be unveiled along the Trail of Governors in Pierre.

According to the foundation’s website, the walkway is designed to honor leaders who shaped the state, each sculpture telling a piece of its political story.

This addition, however, has drawn attention for reasons that extend beyond tradition. Noem was dismissed from her role as Secretary of Homeland Security on March 5, and although the decision to memorialize her was made in 2025, the ceremony was announced days later, on four days after she was canned, on March 9.

The tribute, created by local sculptor John Lopez, will place Noem with more than 30 other statues that honor past leaders in the state’s history and is expected to be released in June. It will also feature a Bronze plaque that holds a QR code that leads to the governor’s biography.

Once news of the statue spread, online readers chimed in with wild reactions in the comments section underneath MSN’s repost of The Independent’s article about the planned Noem honor. Some people reacted with humor, imagining what details might define the final design.

“Will it include her cowgirl hat?” one commenter asked, since there were very few times during her tenure with Trump she wasn’t wearing one. Another said, “The puppy killer is going to need her cowboy hat to protect her hair extensions from the birdies flying over her statue!”

In her 2024 memoir “No Going Back,” South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem disclosed that she shot and killed her 14-month-old wirehaired pointer, Cricket, after describing the dog as “untrainable” and “dangerous,” citing a ruined pheasant hunt, the killing of a neighbor’s chickens, and an incident where the dog tried to bite her.

“Bring on the Pigeons,” said one of many who say the statue will be flooded with bird droppings. Others chimed in with sharper jabs at her looks, writing: “Will it be of her before or after all the plastic surgery?” and “I just want to know which version of Kristi is being immortalized.”

The commentary didn’t slow down. Another joked, “Will Corey be depicted?”

The comedy continued with one commenter asking, “Will it be the ice Barbie collectible set statue with her wearing the ice uniform and looking tough?”

Another blasted, “Though this lady made grave mistakes directing DHS-ICE I feel for her. Her issues with her weird husband and being thrown under the bus by her boss. She is now an outcast, being ridiculed and not well liked by most.  We are all humans with our weaknesses and strengths and being under bad leaders and enablers made things worse.”

Before the ax fell, Noem was already under the lights. “She brought this on herself, 0 sympathy for her go crawl under a rock and please disapear,” said another critic.

Congressional hearings put her leadership on trial before the firing ever came. Lawmakers demanded answers over a costly government advertising campaign that raised serious questions about priorities and accountability. The pressure built. The scrutiny intensified. And when her removal as Secretary of Homeland Security finally dropped, it sent shockwaves through Washington — a dramatic fall for one of the administration’s most visible figures.

Then the plot shifted. Instead of stepping back, Trump handed her a new role: Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas, a multi-country security initiative that positioned her squarely back inside federal power. The move raised eyebrows.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio moved quickly to shore up the narrative, publicly praising her record and framing her as a valuable partner going forward. His endorsement was carefully worded — part validation, part political signal — making clear that her standing within the administration had not collapsed, even as her most prominent post had.

Which brings everything back to the statue.

While the bronze monument being prepared along South Dakota’s capital trail signals recognition for some, for others, it raises harder questions about who gets celebrated and who gets held accountable in this town.

After a public firing weeks ago, Kristi Noem is back in the spotlight — and a lot of people want to know exactly how that happened.

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