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South Dakota Governor Receives A Flamethrower For Christmas…From Her Staff

Kristi Noem using the flamethrower. [Public/Screenshot/Twitter — User: @PhilipWegmann]

Melanie Wilcox Contributor
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South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem’s staff gave her a flamethrower for Christmas this year.

A video posted by RealClear Politics reporter Philip Wegmann on Twitter shows Noem wearing camo and using the flamethrower to torch cardboard boxes in front of a tractor and barn with an American flag on it. “Perfect!” she says, facing the camera.

Noem jokingly asked in December 2020, “Is it too late to add something to my Christmas list?” according to Wegmann. Her staff apparently remembered and bought her one in 2022. (RELATED: Woman Goes Viral On Twitter After Buying Her Dad A Flamethrower For Christmas)

While California and Maryland have some restrictions on flamethrowers, they are legal nearly everywhere in the United States without a background check, since they are considered a tool, not a firearm. Large propane torches are available on Amazon for as little as $50.

Farmers and ranchers sometimes use flamethrowers to manage their land, according to KVUE, and firefighters use them for controlled burns to stop a fire from spreading by torching everything around it, according to CNN.