Kacey Musgraves replied to Kristi Noem's criticism of her hosting a Democratic Senate candidate at a Dallas concert by referencing Noem's memoir.

A public dispute erupted on X between country singer Kacey Musgraves and former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem following a concert in Dallas. The conflict began when Musgraves hosted Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico at her Middle of Nowhere Tour show at the American Airlines Center. Noem criticized the gesture on social media, prompting Musgraves to reply with a pointed reference to Noem's past actions regarding her pet dog.

Concert Guest Sparks Controversy

During a back-to-back show in Dallas over the weekend, Musgraves invited James Talarico, the Democratic candidate for the United States Senate, to join her on stage. Talarico shared photos from his front-row seat on X, including an image of Musgraves taking a selfie with him while wearing a bedazzled Dallas top. He thanked the singer for having him at the show.

Noem's Criticism and Political Context

Kristi Noem, who was fired as Secretary of Homeland Security in March, reposted Talarico's photos and criticized Musgraves. Noem stated she preferred singer Ella Langley over Musgraves and Republican candidate Ken Paxton over Talarico. Langley subsequently untagged herself from the post. Noem's comments came amid her ongoing divorce proceedings from her husband, Byron Noem, following a scandal involving photos of him in women's clothing.

Musgraves' Response

Musgraves responded to Noem's post on Monday afternoon by citing an anecdote from Noem's memoir, No Going Back. In the book, Noem described shooting her 14-month-old wirehair pointer, Cricket, due to behavioral issues. Musgraves posted, "I don’t think you have a dog in this fight but if you did you would have shot it." Musgraves concluded her five-night Texas tour run in Houston, Dallas, and Austin, with upcoming shows scheduled in Denver, Salt Lake City, and Los Angeles.