BOISE, Idaho — On Monday afternoon, Idaho Governor Brad Little stood before a crowd of representatives, state officials, and members of the public to convey his vision for the Gem State in 2026.
Over the course of his roughly 30-minute State of the State speech titled "Enduring Idaho," Gov. Little espoused "right-sizing" state budgets, maintaining Idaho's AAA credit rating, and working with the Trump administration to reshape the federal government.
Notably absent from the speech was an endorsement regarding any repeal of Medicaid Expansion, which was passed with 61% voter support in 2018. He did, however, discuss the Trump Administration's plan to award Idaho $185 million for our rural healthcare systems.
Watch Gov. Little's full address below —
Little also focused on trades-based education, saying Idaho LAUNCH remains "one of my top priorities." LAUNCH Idaho provides up to 80% tuition relief for students attending Idaho colleges, universities, or trade schools that lead to an "in-demand career" approved by the Idaho Workforce Development Council. Those careers include everything from healthcare occupations to roles in construction, technology, and maintenance.
"Across state government, executive agencies will tighten their belts. We’re renegotiating contracts to save money. We’re reprioritizing initiatives. We’re finding operational efficiencies, and we will make disciplined use of cash balances and interest earnings. All of this serves to limit the impact on Idahoans as we right-size government." - Brad Little, Governor of Idaho
The governor also touched on immigration, claiming Idaho's "Operation No Return," which allows Idaho State Police to deliver convicted criminals into the custody of ICE or other immigration agencies for deportation, has removed "dangerous illegal alien criminals from our neighborhoods."
Gov. Little gets a 6-7 response from the crowd while discussing balancing the budget
From removing junk food from SNAP benefits to disallowing transgender women from participating in men's sports, Little spent a large portion of his speech aligning Idaho's policy with that of the Trump White House.
"We’re renegotiating contracts to save money. We’re reprioritizing initiatives. We’re finding operational efficiencies, and we will make disciplined use of cash balances and interest earnings. All of this serves to limit the impact on Idahoans as we right-size government." - Brad Little, Governor of Idaho
Little also took time to discuss DOGE and how Idaho pioneered the idea of "government efficiency" through its curtailing of state regulations. He claims those reductions in red tape have saved "more than one million dollars."
However, just after those comments, Little went on to confront the "budget pressures before us." That includes balancing a budget with a deficit estimated to be in the range of $555 million. However, Little says that education will be spared from any future cuts and instead he will focus on a "mix of one-time and ongoing spending reductions to keep the budget structurally sound."
Gov. Little says public school remains a top priority
Towards the end of his speech, Gov. Little thanked the governors who preceded him, including Butch Otter, Jim Risch, and Dirk Kempthorne before concluding, "As we approach the 250th birthday of our great nation, we honor our past as we look boldly to the future. We will roll up our sleeves and get to work for the people of Idaho, guided by our enduring values – grit, faith, family, and freedom. Thank you, and may God bless Idaho and the United States of America."
