South Dakota Governor

Giving Back – Permanently

March 24, 2023

Every time I travel our state, the best part of my day is just meeting people. I run into old friends at Culver's or HyVee all the time. Read more . . .

Preserving Agriculture, Preserving Patriotism

March 17, 2023

I talk a lot about the American Dream. Unfortunately, that’s unusual these days. To me, the American Dream was an ideal that was embedded in my heart since I was a child. I think that had a lot to do with growing up on the farm. It was tough work, but one of the best lessons my parents taught us kids was that life isn’t easy. Read more . . .

For the People

March 10, 2023

There’s a perception that South Dakota’s future is charted in Pierre. That’s where big decisions get made; where Governors have taken historic actions; where legislators go every winter to represent the people and vote. But that perception misses our state’s foundational principle, our beautiful slogan: “Under God, the People Rule.” As elected leaders, when we make those decisions and cast those votes, we must do it on behalf of the people. Read more . . .

Mount Rushmore: Preserving Freedom in America

February 24, 2023

The celebration of Presidents' Day always brings attention to South Dakota. When people think of our state, they think of Mount Rushmore – and rightly so. Read more . . .

South Dakota’s Blueprint to Fight Communist China

February 17, 2023

South Dakota is a beacon of Freedom – an example of the good that comes from trusting people to exercise personal responsibility. And now, we’re setting an example by drawing the blueprint for a state-led response to the Chinese Communist Party. We first drew that blueprint in our COVID-19 response. We expanded it by banning TikTok for government devices. And we will add to it by blocking Communist China from buying South Dakota ag land, participating in state contracts, or infiltrating our telecommunications. Read more . . .

Empowering Families – Prioritizing Students

February 10, 2023

You've heard me talk a lot over the years about helping foster families so that we can build stronger families across our state. Read more . . .

Securing South Dakota Agriculture

February 3, 2023

Agriculture is the bedrock of South Dakota. The ag industry is tough, and it's often thankless, but it truly is how we feed the world. Read more . . .

Strengthening South Dakota Families

January 27, 2023

Family is everything. I grew up working our family farm and ranch with my parents and siblings. When my dad passed away, my siblings worked together to keep our family’s dreams alive. My greatest joy in life has been watching my children grow up into incredible adults with a deep love of their country and an even deeper love for the Lord – and now they’ve started blessing me with grandchildren, too! Read more . . .

2023 State of the State Address

January 10, 2023

Lieutenant Governor Rhoden, Mr. Speaker, members of the House and Senate, Chief Justice Jensen, Supreme Court justices, constitutional officers, and my fellow South Dakotans: Read more . . .

2022 Budget Address

December 6, 2022

Today, Governor Kristi Noem delivered the 2022 Budget Address, unveiling her budget proposal for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2023 and Fiscal Year 2024. Read more . . .

Champions at the Capitol

January 20, 2023

This week, we welcomed the South Dakota State University football team to the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre. Read more . . .

Building the American Dream

January 13, 2023

South Dakota’s economy has been thriving over the past few years, but even though our unemployment rate in 2022 was the lowest it’s been in our state’s history, we still have 23,000 open jobs in our state. These are growing pains, and we’re tackling them head on. That is how we will continue to build and advance the American Dream. Read more . . .

Governor Kristi Noem's 2nd Inaugural Address

January 7, 2023

Four years ago, I stood in front of you with my left hand on my dad’s Bible and my right hand raised, swearing an oath to uphold the Constitution of both the state of South Dakota and the United States of America. I had won a competitive campaign on election day and was honored to be chosen to be the 33rd governor and the first female governor of our state. We had spent the previous months planning for the day I would take office – learning from previous administration officials and former Governors. We had hired cabinet and staff – worked on a budget plan – and considered legislation to implement the vision I had committed to following through on for the people of South Dakota. Read more . . .

Always Ready, Always There

December 30, 2022

The men and women in our National Guard serve with excellence. They take their job seriously, so I take my responsibility to them as their Commander in Chief very seriously. Read more . . .

I Heard the Bells

December 22, 2022

One of my favorite parts of the holiday season are all the Christmas songs that we pass down from generation to generation. Some are silly and fun. Others reflect the more serious reason for the season. Read more . . .

Curtailing China

December 16, 2022

China’s Communist government hates America. That may seem overly harsh or simple – but it’s a fact. They want to be the strongest nation on earth, and they see America standing in their way. Unfortunately, we have a President in Washington who is not taking this threat seriously. If he won’t protect the American people from this very real and growing threat, then states need to step up and do what we can. Read more . . .

The Right Tax Cut – The Right Time

December 9, 2022

Over the last couple months, I’ve checked out groceries at stores in communities across South Dakota. One out of every four or five customers had to put something back because of how much it cost. Read more . . .

Fiscal Responsibility the South Dakota Way

December 2, 2022

Lots of politicians and bureaucrats like to argue that a government’s budget is nothing like a family budget. They use that as an excuse for why Washington D.C. can continue to rack up record deficits and drive the national debt above $30 trillion. But in South Dakota, we think of our state’s budget exactly like a family budget – and the family who the money belongs to is the people of South Dakota. Read more . . .

speeches & Columns