This comes after Noem publicly expressed her belief that Nikki Haley, former South Carolina governor and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, would be a "mistake" as Trump's running mate.
Governor Noem, who endorsed Trump for president in September, addressed potential caucus voters in Sioux City, Iowa, on Wednesday night. She emphasized her belief that Trump is the best choice for the Republican party.
January 05, 2024
"I’ve known the man for years now," Noem said, as reported by KTIV. She detailed her experience working with Trump on tax cuts, policies, trade agreements, and foreign policy during his tenure in the White House. "He helped me build my economy in South Dakota," she added.
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Noem did not shy away from criticizing Haley, who served under Trump's administration. "She said that she was never going to run for president against President Trump, and now she's running for president against President Trump," Noem told the audience.
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The South Dakota governor further criticized Haley's inconsistency, stating, "She defends him and then she attacks him. She defends you, she attacks you," as reported by the Argus Leader. Noem added, "Whichever way the political winds blow is where she goes, and we cannot trust our country to somebody like that either."
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Noem also touched on foreign policy, asserting that the current issues in the Middle East and the tension between Russia and Ukraine would not have occurred under Trump's leadership. "He would be strong, he’d be strong against North Korea," she said.
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Noem's visit to Iowa precedes Trump's expected campaign in Sioux Center, Iowa, on Friday.
During a Newsmax interview with host Eric Bolling, Noem was asked if choosing Haley as a running mate would be a mistake. "Yes," Noem replied. "But if he picked her, I would tell him I disagreed with him. But then I would support the ticket because he’s still the president, and the president still makes the decisions."
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A spokesperson for Haley's campaign responded to Noem's comments by pointing out that Haley had previously stated on "Fox News Sunday" that she would not "play for second." However, in a Fox News Digital interview on Tuesday, Haley did not categorically rule out the possibility of being Trump's running mate.
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Noem also criticized Florida Governor Ron DeSantis during her speech in Sioux City. DeSantis, who has been endorsed for president by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, has visited all of the state’s 99 counties during a tour in which he touted his defiance of mask and vaccine mandates in Florida, according to the Argus Leader.
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"We're not going to let people who run for office rewrite history," Noem said. "Ron DeSantis closed his businesses down. He closed his beaches down. When it was hard challenging political pressure in times when everything mattered and your constitutional freedoms were threatened, Ron DeSantis caved to pressure. And we just can't afford to put somebody as leader of the free world that caves to political pressure."
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Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon recently predicted a "big fight" over the direction of the Trump campaign. Bannon suggested that there would be pressure to include Haley on the ticket, but warned that her presence in the administration could lead to failure.
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In an interview with CBS News, Noem denied that her visit to Sioux City was an audition for Trump’s vice presidential spot. "I’m here to help the president win," she said. When asked if she would accept an offer to run as Trump’s VP, Noem responded, "I think anybody in this country, if they were offered it, needs to consider it."
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Noem reiterated her criticism of Haley during the Wednesday appearance, saying, "I haven't supported Nikki Haley. I just think I don't really know who the real Nikki Haley is. She's whoever she needs to be for whatever ways the political winds blow that day."
"Nikki Haley would be a bad choice because I don’t know what she will say and do next," Noem concluded.
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