The country singer responds to Noem’s criticism of her support for Texas Senate candidate James Talarico, referencing the former Homeland Security secretary’s controversial account of killing her dog.
Country music star Kacey Musgraves fired back at former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Monday, October 12, after Noem criticized the singer and her association with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico. Musgraves responded with a pointed social media remark referencing Noem’s controversial admission that she shot and killed her family dog.
The exchange began after Talarico attended Musgraves’ Middle of Nowhere Tour concert in Dallas on Saturday, October 10. The candidate shared photographs from the event, including a picture with Musgraves, and publicly thanked her for inviting him.
Noem responded on X by expressing her preference for fellow country singer Ella Langley and Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton. Her message drew a comparison between the two musicians while making clear which candidate she supports in the upcoming Texas election.
Musgraves replied with a remark that quickly attracted attention online.
“I don’t think you have a dog in this fight but if you did you would have shot it.”
The statement referred to a widely publicized episode from Noem’s 2024 memoir, No Going Back, in which she described killing her 14-month-old dog, Cricket. The revelation generated substantial criticism when details of the book emerged two years ago.
Noem wrote that Cricket had behaved aggressively during a hunting trip and attacked a neighbor’s chickens. She also described the dog as difficult to train and said it had attempted to bite her when she intervened.
The former South Dakota governor defended her decision after the story became public. She said the animal presented a safety concern and maintained that she had made a difficult but necessary choice.
Critics questioned whether killing the dog was justified, particularly because Cricket was still young. The account became one of the most widely discussed controversies surrounding Noem as she pursued a national political career.
Musgraves’ response brought that earlier controversy into a new disagreement involving country music and electoral politics. The singer used Noem’s own account as the basis for her criticism rather than addressing the comparison with Langley directly.
The dispute followed a politically significant appearance at Musgraves’ Dallas concert. Talarico, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Texas, has been campaigning against Republican nominee Ken Paxton ahead of the November 3 election.
Talarico’s attendance placed Musgraves among several Texas musicians who have publicly associated themselves with his campaign. The appearance also brought additional attention to her willingness to participate in political discussions beyond her music.
According to Billboard, Noem’s original post attempted to compare Musgraves with Langley, whose hit song Choosin’ Texas provided the wording for part of the political message. Langley was not directly involved in the exchange between the singer and the former Cabinet secretary.
Langley has experienced extraordinary commercial success in 2026. Her song Choosin’ Texas spent 24 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, setting a record for the longest reign at the top of the chart.
The record-breaking run ended when Taylor Swift’s Patient Zero debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated October 10. Langley’s single fell to second place after holding the top position for nearly six months.
Noem’s decision to mention Langley brought another prominent country singer into a political argument that began with Musgraves and Talarico. However, Langley did not publicly join Noem’s criticism of Musgraves in the initial exchange.
The disagreement also comes after a major change in Noem’s political career. President Donald Trump removed her as Homeland Security secretary in March 2026 following scrutiny of her leadership, spending and management of immigration enforcement.
Reuters reported that Noem subsequently began working as a U.S. special envoy for the Shield of the Americas, an initiative focused on cooperation among countries in the Western Hemisphere against drug trafficking and organized crime.
Her dismissal from the Cabinet did not end her involvement in Republican politics. Her endorsement of Paxton in the social media exchange placed her directly into the Texas Senate contest.
Musgraves, meanwhile, has frequently addressed political and social issues through her performances and public statements. Her latest Texas concerts have also emphasized the musical traditions and cultural influences of her home state.
During her Middle of Nowhere Tour, she featured The Mariachi Brothers, musicians whose previous encounters with immigration authorities had attracted public attention. Their appearances reflected her interest in connecting country music with Mexican and Mexican American musical traditions.
She also collaborated with the Tejano and Norteño group Intocable on a Spanish-language version of her song Uncertain, TX. The recording was released in early October and marked another collaboration between Musgraves and musicians closely associated with Texas culture.
The original recording featured country legend Willie Nelson. Musgraves later performed the Spanish-language version with Intocable during her Austin concert, giving audiences an opportunity to hear the new arrangement live.
Musgraves has described the collaboration as a celebration of Texas and the cultural influences that shape its music. Her latest performances have included connections between traditional country, Tejano music and contemporary songwriting.
Nelson has also become involved in the Texas Senate race. The longtime country performer publicly endorsed Talarico in an October campaign video, joining other musicians who have expressed support for the Democratic candidate.
The Houston Chronicle reported that Nelson described Talarico favorably and encouraged Texas voters to support his Senate campaign. The endorsement followed an earlier appearance by Talarico at Nelson’s Fourth of July Picnic.
Other musicians, including members of the Chicks and Don Henley, have also expressed support for Talarico. Their involvement has brought additional attention to the relationship between Texas music and the state’s political campaigns.
Paxton, meanwhile, has received support from prominent Republican figures, including Noem. The former Texas attorney general and Talarico are competing for a Senate seat in a state where Democrats have not won a U.S. Senate election since 1988.
The Musgraves-Noem exchange illustrates how celebrity appearances and social media statements can become part of broader election coverage. In this case, a concert appearance prompted a disagreement involving two country singers, a former Cabinet secretary and opposing Senate candidates.
As of Monday evening, the public dispute centered on the original messages from Noem and Musgraves. The Texas Senate election is scheduled for November 3, with both campaigns continuing their efforts to reach voters during the final weeks before Election Day.
IMAGE: Kacey Musgraves performing at Ryman Auditorium on the Grand Ole Opry on December 13th, 2014. Photo: Bruce Comer Jr / Wikimedia, taken 2014-12-13, CC BY-SA 4.0