PIERRE, South Dakota — South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem apparently doubled-down on her image as a tough as nails country woman earlier today when she stood in front of the capitol building and ripped the head off of a ten-week-old kitten named Mittens.

“Ya’ll folks who’ve been whining and complaining about what I had to do to Cricket are really gonna be beside yourselves after this,” Noem proclaimed as she raised the tiny jet black kitten with white paws above her head and swiftly pulled its head from its tiny body.

Cricket was the name of the young dog that Noem shot in the head after the dog proved difficult to train. According to the governor, similar circumstances forced her to euthanize Mittens the kitten on the capitol steps.

“Every time Mittens used the litter box, she kicked out litter onto the floor,” Noem explained, holding the body in one hand and the head in the other, at times shaking the head at reporters to emphasize a point, “Liberals won’t understand, because they are so soft and woke. But God spoke to me and actually used me as a conduit to exact justice on Mittens.”

Several media outlets were quick to criticize the governor and potential vice-presidential nominee for her inhumane actions, but Noem’s supporters were quick to jump to her defense.

“This is what I want out of our Vice President,” said Raymond Keller, a Noem supporter who was in attendance, “Someone who will own the libs and is so anti-woke that you feel like you are actually not awake at all, but asleep and having a nightmare. It’s so cool to witness a politician growing into a more powerful and confident leader, or potentially a serial killer. China ain’t gonna want to fuck with her.”