According to a report released by The Washington Times on January 24, 2024, former President Donald Trump took a dig at Republican presidential contender Nikki Haley on Tuesday. The insinuation was made during his victory speech after clinching the New Hampshire GOP primary, marking his second consecutive triumph in the ongoing 2024 presidential race.
Expressing gratitude to Senator Tim Scott, who had suspended his own presidential campaign in November and endorsed Trump over the weekend, the former president seized the opportunity to address the absence of Haley’s endorsement. Trump playfully questioned Senator Scott, who hails from the same state as Haley, South Carolina, stating, “Did you ever think that she actually appointed you, Tim? And you’re the senator of her state. You must really hate her.”
Senator Scott, standing behind Trump, responded with a smile, stepping up to the microphone and declaring, “I just love you,” eliciting cheers from the audience.
Haley, a former governor of South Carolina and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under Trump, has emerged as a vocal critic within the Republican Party. She has accused Trump of falsehoods about the 2020 election, incitement of the Capitol riot on January 6, and harm to the GOP’s reputation. Positioning herself as a more moderate and inclusive alternative to Trump, Haley aims to appeal to women, minorities, and young voters.
In response to Trump’s comment, Haley’s campaign issued a statement highlighting the former president’s relatively weak performance in the first two states. Nachama Soloveichik, Haley’s campaign director, remarked, “Donald Trump barely received half of the vote” in Iowa and New Hampshire, questioning the endorsement he seeks.
Despite securing a third-place finish in both states, Haley remains steadfast in her determination to compete for the nomination. Confident in her popularity and name recognition, particularly in her home state of South Carolina, Haley declared, “I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to keep fighting for the future of our party and our country. And I’m going to show the American people that there is a better way than Donald Trump.”
Trump won the New Hampshire primary with approximately 54.5%, while Haley garnered about 43.2% support. Having also secured a significant victory in the Iowa caucuses the previous week, the next critical primary will take place in Haley’s home state of South Carolina on February 24.
