Republican South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem made a surprising move over the 4th of July weekend by deleting two state-affiliated social media accounts without providing any explanation, according to local media reports. The now-defunct accounts include her official @govkristinoem X account and her Gov. Noem Facebook account, both of which have gone dark. Visitors to these accounts are now met with messages indicating that the content is unavailable.
The sudden deletion of these accounts has sparked curiosity and speculation among South Dakota residents and social media users. A Facebook user in a private South Dakota-focused group raised questions about the disappearance of Governor Noem’s official Facebook page, highlighting the public’s interest in this unexpected development.
Despite multiple attempts to reach out to Governor Noem’s office for clarification on the reasons behind the deactivation of the accounts, no response has been received. Instead, the office directed inquiries to a newly established X account called the Office of Governor Noem, which aims to provide official updates and press releases from the governor’s office.
State Representative Tony Venhuizen expressed uncertainty about the decision to pull the state-affiliated social media accounts, noting that it is common for elected officials to maintain separate official and personal accounts to distinguish between official responsibilities and personal or campaign-related content. This separation allows officials to engage with the public on various issues without compromising the integrity of their official communications.
Governor Noem’s deactivated accounts had collectively amassed over 700,000 followers, making them significant platforms for communicating with the public. Her X account, in particular, gained popularity during the pandemic as she advocated for keeping South Dakota open amidst nationwide lockdowns.
In addition to the social media account deletions, Governor Noem has recently faced criticism from both conservatives and liberals following the release of an excerpt from her memoir, “No Going Back,” which recounts her decision to euthanize an aggressive farm dog named Cricket over two decades ago. The governor’s defense of her actions on her personal X account in April reignited debate and scrutiny on social media.
Overall, Governor Kristi Noem’s decision to remove her state-affiliated social media accounts has generated significant interest and speculation among South Dakota residents and social media users. The absence of official explanations for this move has only fueled curiosity, leaving many to wonder about the motivations behind this unexpected decision.