Governor: Trump win benefits Idaho

COEUR d’ALENE — Donald Trump’s decisive victory in the presidential election last week will be good for Idaho, said Gov. Brad Little on Tuesday. 

In a 15-minute keynote address at the Hagadone Event Center, he cited fair trade, fewer federal regulations, lower taxes, increased border security, more freedoms, better jobs and safer streets as among the benefits of having Trump in the White House again.

“I have a pretty good idea of some of the things we will get done with this administration, which we struggled with under the previous administration,” Little said to about 250 elected state leaders and officials in town for the Idaho Legislative Tour. 

Little said he recently returned from a trip to Asia with others, where he worked on selling Idaho potatoes to Japan. He said trade is going to be a priority for Trump and his team, and it will be to the advantage of America and the Gem State.

“I'm very hopeful this new administration will use their clout to help Idaho products and American products have a fair footing as we go forward,” Little said. 

The governor expects to see major reforms to the National Environmental Policy Act. 

“I know from talking to people I worked with in the last Trump administration that is going to be ready to go on day one and we’re going to see some of NEPA reforms to where a single letter does not stop a road project, a mining project or, very important to this part of the state, a forest health project," he said.

Little said to expect more tax and regulatory cuts at the federal level under Trump, which means people will keep more of what they earn. 

“He’s got the people around him to get things done,” he said. 

Little said Trump’s wide margin victory over Democrat Kamala Harris should not have been a surprise if you consider what's happened the last four years.

“Americans can’t be tricked into thinking life is better when their families are still struggling,” he said. 

Little said Idaho has the strongest and most stable budget in the nation thanks to its limits on government, commitment to paying for infrastructure and its rainy-day fund of about $1 billion. 

He said Idaho has been a leader in defending women’s sports, helping with border security, fighting fentanyl and human trafficking and stopping DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) programs. 

“Those are all the things that changed the direction of this country that we were already doing here in Idaho,” he said. 

Little poked fun at surrounding liberal states when he said Idaho’s population and economic growth can be attributed to a "COW" problem: California, Oregon and Washington. 

“If we could just stop the COW problem, we wouldn't have record growth, but I don’t blame them for coming here,” he said.  

Little said the governance of those three states created an atmosphere for people to rather want to live in Idaho. 

“Capital has a friendly home here in Idaho,” he said.  

Little said the upcoming legislative session will focus on schools, stable water supplies and protecting communities from crime and wildfire.

“I look forward to you arriving back in Boise, selecting your leadership, putting the committees together and formulating a plan for success in years to come,” he said.