Kristi Noem Accuses Target Executives of Wanting to Give Away Mt. Rushmore

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem lashed out at Target executives over a charitable donation given to a group that supports the return of federal land, including Mount Rushmore, to Native Americans.

Target has found itself at the center of right-wing anger over corporations supporting social causes including LGBTQ+ rights and racial equity programs, accusing these companies of turning their backs on conservatives. The brouhaha began with backlash toward some of Target's 2023 Pride collection but has grown to include scrutiny of the company's culture and other programs surrounding LGBTQ+ and racial inclusivity.

Most recently, conservatives have criticized Target for making a charitable donation to the nonprofit NDN Collective Inc., a Native American advocacy group that in 2020 called for the return of Mount Rushmore and other land to the Lakota community. Advocates of "land back" programs say the land should return to those who inhabited these areas long before Europeans arrived to the Americas.

Noem, a Republican, shared a Fox News report calling attention to the donation on Monday.

Target wrote on its webpage highlighting the organization's charitable donations that the nonprofit received a grant in 2022, though the amount of the funding is unclear.

"Target's leftist execs support giving away Mount Rushmore. Not on my watch," Noem tweeted. "America's symbol of Freedom will endure."

Newsweek has reached out to Target and the NDN Collective via email for comment.

The controversy over the donation stems from a 2020 statement released by the organization urging for the return of Lakota land, including Mount Rushmore in the state of South Dakota.

"Mount Rushmore is on stolen Lakota land and its very existence is a symbol of white supremacy," Nick Tilsen, NDN Collective president and CEO, said in a 2020 press release. "In opposing the ongoing desecration of our sacred land and asking for return of Lakota lands where Mount Rushmore is situated, we're not saying anything that our parents, grandparents and great grandparents haven't already said—The Lakota have opposed Mount Rushmore since the very beginning."

Conservatives have criticized Target for its commitments to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs in recent years. The big-box retailer has increased these efforts following the "Black Lives Matter" protests of 2020, which stemmed from the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the city of Target's headquarters.

"At Target, our team rallies around a single purpose: to help all families discover the joy of everyday life. That purpose and our inclusion of "all" directly connects to our inclusivity value as a company. We leverage our purpose to champion a more inclusive society that provides a fulfilling place to work and enhances our relationship with our guests, communities and suppliers," the DEI page of Target's website reads.

Conservatives have pushed back against these policies not only from Target but other companies, including Chick-fil-A, accusing the companies of engaging in "woke capitalism."