Trump scores South Dakota governor's 2024 endorsement at rally

<img src="https://www.reuters.com/resizer/cPA2Xd_27RQ0jrFueX8092Z_6uQ=/1920x0/filters:quality(80)/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/CJPZHTYLZVKPBDJVDEFLVJBP3I.jpg" alt="South Dakota Republican party rally in Rapid City">South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem welcomes former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump before he speaks at a South Dakota Republican party rally in Rapid City, South Dakota, U.S. September 8, 2023. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst    <img src="https://www.reuters.com/resizer/pbvgwJkB9QB7DF_JwlcUtWf-QnQ=/1920x0/filters:quality(80)/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/K4WY3Q4NOJNFBK27VYIZKYO5FY.jpg" alt="South Dakota Republican party rally in Rapid City">Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a South Dakota Republican party rally in Rapid City, South Dakota, U.S. September 8, 2023. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst    <img src="https://www.reuters.com/resizer/oV_DJDWwQci5q4xB-p9zVdpF0OE=/1920x0/filters:quality(80)/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/MMMYJ66WJZKNPGNYAPEI5C33OE.jpg" alt="South Dakota Republican party rally in Rapid City">Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gestures towards his supporters at a South Dakota Republican party rally in Rapid City, South Dakota, U.S. September 8, 2023. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst    <img src="https://www.reuters.com/resizer/LfqRo_MWpQbT9NHpL_dTYYXLatk=/1920x0/filters:quality(80)/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/KS6BD5RPZ5IHPEZQBBQIPGNHSA.jpg" alt="South Dakota Republican party rally in Rapid City">Supporters raise their hands as former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump completes his remark at a South Dakota Republican party rally in Rapid City, South Dakota, U.S. September 8, 2023. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst    <img src="https://www.reuters.com/resizer/EEsOCOy_hdlYaFxYNqrWoluLflw=/1920x0/filters:quality(80)/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/O55DGNNHCBLDRMVL37SS2LW7II.jpg" alt="National Rifle Association (NRA) annual convention in Houston">South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem speaks at the NRA-ILA Leadership Forum during the National Rifle Association (NRA) annual convention in Houston, Texas, U.S. May 27, 2022. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo                     South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem endorsed Donald Trump at a campaign rally on Friday, potentially boosting the former president's lead in the Republican Party's 2024 presidential primary race.   A rising star in the party, Noem has long been mentioned as a possible running mate for Trump should he win the nomination. Her endorsement will likely add fuel to that speculation.   Noem announced her "full and complete endorsement" of Trump at an evening rally in Rapid City, South Dakota, attended by thousands of the former president's supporters.   "He is the leader, the fighter that our country needs," said Noem, who used a joke to nod at speculation that she could be his running mate but did not directly address the issue. "I will do everything I can to help him win and save this country."   With the first nominating contest in Iowa still months away, only a handful of Republican governors have officially endorsed candidates in the https://www.reuters.com/world/us/nikki-haleys-2024-white-house-bid-charts-hazardous-path-isolationist-republican-2023-09-08/
 of Biden's handling of the economy, despite easing inflation and low unemployment.   "The fact is we are probably heading into a Great Depression," Trump said. "The only question is whether or not it will be during the remaining months of the Biden administration. If it's going to happen, let it happen then."   Trump also called on Republicans in Congress to try to use an upcoming government funding deadline of Sept. 30 as leverage to ban the Biden administration from using taxpayer funds for resettling immigrants within the United States.    Reporting by Nathan Layne in Wilton, Connecticut; Editing by Colleen Jenkins, Daniel Wallis and Michael Perry

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-expected-get-south-dakota-governors-2024-endorsement-rally-2023-09-08/