It was reported earlier this week that South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has come to the conclusion that it is time for the Biden administration to end all of its COVID-19-related mandates after the president himself appeared to indicate they aren’t needed.
President Biden joined his administration’s pandemic call with governors earlier this week and was warned he warned against letting “federal solutions stand in the way of state solutions” by Arkansas GOP Gov. Asa Hutchison.
“Look, there is no federal solution,” Biden said. “This gets solved state level. My message to the governor is simple: If you need something, say something and we’re going to have your back in any way we can.”
Hutchinson went on to make it clear that he doesn’t want to see federal solutions, such as testing, get in the way of governors’ ability to do their jobs.
“As you look towards federal solutions that will help alleviate the challenge, make sure that we do not let federal solutions stand in the way of state solutions and the production of 500 million rapid tests that will be distributed by the federal government is great,” Hutchinson said. “But obviously, that dries up the supply chain for the solutions that we might offer as governor.”
The exchange, and particularly Biden’s remarks about there being “no federal solution,” led Noem to reason that there is no need for federal mandates regarding the pandemic, either.
“After a year, we finally agree @potus. The federal government isn’t the solution. That’s why from the start, SD took a different approach by trusting our citizens to be responsible and make the right decisions for themselves & their families. Now rescind all the federal mandates,” Noem tweeted on Tuesday.
Earlier this month, Noem ripped Biden over comments he made ahead of Christmas in which he told unvaccinated Americans they would be “looking at a winter of severe illness and death for yourselves, your families, and the hospitals you may soon overwhelm.”
“America needs hope and leadership from Biden. Not fear and dire predictions,” Noem responded.
“Severe illness and death? Really Mr. President? America needs hope and leadership from Biden. Not fear and dire predictions – America has met every challenge head-on and with optimism for generations. Our country will get through this together,” she tweeted.
