Noem: Biden should resign if he doesn’t take stronger action against Russia

ORLANDO, Fla. — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem on Thursday hammered President Biden over what she dubbed his “weak leadership” in the face of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, insisting that he should resign unless he takes more aggressive steps to punish Moscow for the attack.

“If we ever needed a reminder that leadership has consequences, that it matters, the last 48 hours have shown us what happens when America projects weakness,” Noem told a crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

“That is exactly what President Biden has done. A strong American president, a strong president, would put their citizens first and they would take these actions right away.”

Noem laid out a series of steps that Biden should take amid the invasion, demanding that he enact “heavy sanctions” on Russia’s energy sector and work with U.S. allies in Europe to cut Russia off from western financial systems.

She also said that the president should move to “reopen our federal lands for drilling and oil and natural gas exploration,” as well as to restart and expedite construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.

“If Joe Biden can’t or he won’t do these things, then he should resign,” Noem said, drawing cheers from the crowd. “He should resign before his weak leadership and poor decision making drag America back into another needless war.”

Noem’s remarks came as the U.S. and its allies in Europe and around the world rolled out a series of measures seeking to punish Russia after it launched a full-scale invasion on Ukraine. On Thursday, Biden announced new sanctions that restrict some exports from the U.S. to Russia and target Russian banks and elites.

But Russian President Vladimir Putin has so far remained defiant, and while the Kremlin has signaled an openness to holding talks, it’s unclear how serious Putin is about negotiating with Ukraine.

For Noem, a member of Congress turned governor, the speech touched on familiar themes, namely her call to loosen fossil fuel regulations and focus on American “energy independence.” But her comments focusing on U.S. foreign policy also carried significance, given that she’s seen as a potential contender for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.

She’s one of several prospective White House hopefuls speaking at CPAC this week. On Thursday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis received a standing ovation after a fiery speech before the conference. Others on the roster include Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.).

Former President Donald Trump, who has openly floated a 2024 comeback campaign, is set to give a primetime address at the conference on Saturday.