Gov. Noem Hints at Trump Endorsement, Says He Will Defeat Other GOP Hopefuls

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem speaks as President Donald Trump listens during a meeting about the Governors Initiative on Regulatory Innovation in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington on Dec. 16, 2019. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Former President Donald Trump can expect a warm welcome when he visits South Dakota next month, and perhaps a key endorsement.

The 45th president is slated to headline the South Dakota Republican Party’s Monumental Leaders Rally on Sept. 8 in Rapid City.

The state’s Republican Gov. Kristi Noem has been floated by some as a potential running mate for President Trump. And when asked Wednesday on “Fox and Friends” whether she might be planning to endorse him at the upcoming rally, she hinted that could be the case.

“President Trump’s coming to South Dakota—you’re going to expect a fun, eventful rally,” the governor said, noting that tickets for the event had sold out in just one day.

“People were thrilled that he’s coming—we’re excited that he’s coming to help our Republican Party. But, you know, he is inspirational. People always show up to hear something interesting. And yeah, you’ll hear something from me, too.”

‘Why Run if You Can’t Win?’

A former U.S. representative, Ms. Noem was elected governor of South Dakota in 2018. But it was during the COVID-19 pandemic that she rose to national prominence as one of a few governors who refused to shut down their states.

When other leaders mandated masks and vaccines, she promoted freedom of choice and has been a rising star on the right ever since.

As such, some Republicans thought she might throw her own hat in the 2024 presidential ring. And when asked in July 2022 if she was considering doing so, she said she was not ruling out the possibility. “Just because people bring it up quite often.”

But when asked on Wednesday why she ultimately chose not to enter the race, she was frank in her response.

“The fact is, none of [the other GOP candidates] can win as long as Trump’s in the race. And that’s just a fact. So, why run if you can’t win?”

She continued: “President Trump did some great things for our state and for our country. As governor—and everybody should be grateful for this—he’s let me do my job. When he was president, he let me do my job, and I appreciate that. Biden doesn’t do that.”

Those remarks were met with enthusiasm from the crowd of bikers that surrounded her at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, as was the question of whether she would accept an invitation from President Trump to be his running mate.

“You know, he hasn’t asked me. So, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” Ms. Noem said.

Adding that she doesn’t “answer hypotheticals,” she noted: “He’s going to need somebody that’s a good partner that’s willing to fix this country, and it’s not going to be pretty. So, we’ve got a lot to do.”

President Trump has yet to make any declarations about whom he is considering for vice president, though according to an Axios report, he is “strongly considering picking a female running mate,” and Ms. Noem is among the top contenders.

Others rumored to be on the list include Arizona’s 2022 gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and former UN Ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who is herself currently vying for the presidency.

But according to Axios, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said, “Anyone who thinks they know what President Trump is going to do is seriously misinformed and trying to curry favor with ‘potential’ V.P. candidates.”

President Trump, Mr. Cheung added, “will choose his running mate on his own time, and those who are playing the media game are doing so at their own peril.”

Criticism of Biden

While the governor had plenty of praise for President Trump, she was less complimentary of President Joe Biden.

On Tuesday, the 46th president came under fire from conservatives when he visited Arizona but neglected to visit the state’s border with Mexico, which has largely been overrun by illegal immigrants since the start of his administration.

Instead, President Biden visited the Grand Canyon, where he observed the one-year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act by promoting his climate policies. He also granted the requests of local tribal leaders and environmentalists by announcing the creation of a new national monument surrounding Grand Canyon National Park. The monument will preserve nearly 1 million acres of land and limit uranium mining in the area.

Criticizing the move Wednesday, Ms. Noem charged that the new monument was merely an excuse to “steal more federal land … to shut down our economy and shut down our natural mineral production.”

Also blasting the president’s avoidance of the border, the governor contended: “He wants to fundamentally remake this country. I don’t think he believes in our republic.

“I truly believe the policies that he has embraced are socialist. They’re socialist policies, and they would destroy America.”

Emel Akan contributed to this report.