Kristi Noem: “South Dakota was the only state in the country that stayed…”

“I am so proud to say that South Dakota's strong economy has been a beacon of freedom for America. Most of you, most of you probably first heard about me during COVID didn't you? Because South Dakota was the only state in the country that stayed open for business [during COVID]. We didn't mandate anything. We never ordered a single business or a church to close. I never even defined what an essential business was because I don't believe that the government has the authority to tell you that your business isn't essential.” (01:32–01:38)

This is an excerpt from a raw transcript. The assertions have not been audited or verified. Tap the video to view the source footage and understand the context.