Nikki Haley, a previous contender for the GOP presidential nomination, faced criticism for her announcement on Wednesday that she intends to support former President Donald Trump over President Joe Biden in the upcoming general election in November. Former Representative Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), who is now a CNN commentator, expressed his disapproval by describing her decision as “pathetic.” This assessment echoed sentiments expressed by other media outlets in the aftermath of Haley’s statement.
Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley exited the Republican presidential primary race in March, paving the way for Trump to secure the GOP nomination. Despite not formally endorsing Trump at the time, Haley acknowledged his likely nomination as the Republican candidate for the July convention.
During her 2024 campaign, Haley strategically emphasized policy matters over attacking her opponents or critiquing their characters. According to The Hill report, although she did not endorse the former president, Haley ultimately decided to support him due to their shared policy stances, aiming to avoid the public policy disagreements that had previously characterized her image.
“As a voter, I put my priorities on a president who’s going to have the backs of our allies and hold our enemies to account, who would secure the border, no more excuses,” Haley said at the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank. “A president who would support capitalism and freedom, a president who understands we need less debt not more debt.”
“Trump has not been perfect on these policies. I’ve made that clear, many, many times. But Biden has been a catastrophe. So, I will be voting for Trump,” she declared.
Haley has previously expressed her belief that selecting Trump as the GOP 2024 candidate would be detrimental to the United States, comparing it to a self-inflicted harm, due to his legal complications.
