'If you did you would have shot it': Kacey Musgraves fires back at Kristi Noem with dog-killing reference

Country singer Kacey Musgraves turned Kristi Noem's infamous dog-shooting scandal against her after the former Homeland Security secretary backed country rival Ella Langley over Musgraves. Noem had declared she would take Langley "over Kacey Musgraves any day" after Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico posted photos from Musgraves' concert. Talarico then posted a second photo with Musgraves captioned "Don't mess with Texas."

Noem's comment was aimed at undercutting Talarico, who is running against Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the Texas Senate race.

Musgraves' brutal comeback referenced Noem's 2024 memoir admission that she shot and killed her 14-month-old wirehair pointer, Cricket, calling it "untrainable."

The dog-shooting story drew condemnation from both parties when it emerged and has dogged Noem ever since.