South Dakota’s Governor Kristi Noem has just been accused of “deceptive” advertising following a recent promotional video she shared online. The Republican, who has been speculated as a potential running mate for Donald Trump’s 2024 bid, is now facing a lawsuit from a consumer advocacy group over the viral clip.
Earlier this week, Noem posted a more than 4-minute infomercial-style recording on her social media accounts, where she effusively praises a Texas-based cosmetic dental practice, Smile Texas, crediting them for giving her a smile she can be “proud of” after a past biking accident affected her teeth.
She also captioned the video: “I love my new family at Smile Texas! The video says it all, and I am so grateful for their help fixing my smile for me. 😊🙌🏼😊”
However, she neglected to disclose any financial arrangement or partnership with the company.
This omission has landed Kristi Noem in hot water with Travelers United, a consumer watchdog organization. On Wednesday, the group filed a suit against the governor in Washington D.C., alleging violations of Federal Trade Commission guidelines that require influencers to clearly label paid endorsements as advertisements.
In the lawsuit, Travelers United accuses the Republican governor of “misleading and deceptive advertising” by presenting the Smile Texas plug as an authentic personal endorsement without proper disclaimers. The complaint pointedly states,
“Governor Kristi Noem is the Governor of South Dakota for a living but seems to have taken up work as a social media influencer.”
The governor’s office has not issued any formal response to the allegations. However, the controversy has already triggered calls for an investigation from opposition leaders in South Dakota’s state legislature.
