Kristi Noem now banned from all tribal lands in South Dakota

The feud between South Dakota’s governor and indigenous Native American tribes in her state escalated again on Wednesday as the ninth of the nine recognized tribes in the state voted to ban her from their lands.

It’s a decision that is unlikely to move the Republican governor and conservative culture war enthusiast, who has been publicly gunning for a shot at being Donald Trump’s running mate. But it does signal the deep dissatisfaction that the governor faces at home from her state’s Native population.

Noem’s feud with the tribes stems from a number of reasons, including disputes between the state government and tribal leaders during the Covid-19 pandemic and her efforts to save the doomed Keystone XL pipeline project. But her most recent spat with Native American leaders relates to her accusations that tribes are allowing drug cartels from Central America to operate on their territory.

She has also made comments about Native American parents and their children, which caused deep offense.

Her comments about cartels were made during a May 17 press conference: “I ask them… Why have they not banished the cartels? Why have they not banished the cartel affiliates? Why have they only focused their attention on me, who has offered them help, and not gone after those who are perpetuating violence?” she said, at the time.

As evidence, she pointed to a quote from Frank Star Comes Out, president of the Oglala Sioux, who testified before a US Senate committee in 2023. Star Comes Out blamed the federal government, which ultimately has law enforcement authority in tribal lands, for allowing cartels to “move on” to the Oglala Sioux reservation.

This week, Star Comes Outissued a statement insisting that no drugs or weapons were being