Nikki Haley Bashes Trump, Says She’s Staying in Primary Race

Nikki Haley doubled down on her refusal to withdraw from the Republican presidential primary despite facing virtually insurmountable odds in her bid to defeat former President Donald Trump. 

“Some of you, a few of you in the media, came here today to see if I’m dropping out of the race. Well, I’m not,” Haley told a crowd of supporters and reporters in Greenville, South Carolina, on Tuesday, adding that the Republicans who dropped out of the race have “surrendered” to the “herd mentality” in coalescing behind Trump. “I’m campaigning every day until the last person votes,” she added.

Trump has handily won every Republican primary contest so far, and is polling more than 25 points ahead of Haley in her home state of South Carolina. Haley lost the Nevada primary earlier this month to the “none of these candidates” option listed on the ballot, while Trump easily won the state’s caucuses a few days later.

Nevertheless, Haley has intensified her attacks against Trump, and went after him again on Tuesday. “Many of the same politicians who publicly embrace Trump, privately dread him,” Haley said. “They know what a disaster he’s been and will continue to be for our party. They are just too afraid to say it out loud. Well I’m not afraid to say the hard truth out loud. I feel no need to kiss the ring, I have no fear of Trump’s retribution.”

Haley also called out the former president’s “unstable and unhinged” attacks against her and her supporters. “True to form, he’s taking out his anger on others,” she said. “He’s getting meaner and more offensive by the day. He’s trying to bully me and anyone who supports me, he says they will be barred from MAGA permanently.” She went on to bash him for spending “$50 million in campaign contributions on personal court cases,” threatening “people who back your opponent” and calling “on Russia to invade NATO countries.”

In an interview with the Associated Press given ahead of the speech, Haley indicated she will stay in the race until Super Tuesday, at least.

“Ten days after South Carolina, another 20 states vote,” Haley told the publication, referencing the upcoming primary elections on Super Tuesday. “This isn’t Russia. We don’t want someone to go in and just get 99 percent of the vote,” she added. “What is the rush? Why is everybody so panicked about me having to get out of this race?”

Haley is the last remaining challenger to Trump’s nomination, with the rest of the initially jam-packed field of GOP hopefuls having dropped our faded into polling obscurity. Haley told the AP that a lot can change between now and election day in November. “People are not looking six months down the road when these court cases have taken place,” she said. “He’s going to be in a courtroom all of March, April, May and June. How in the world do you win a general election when these cases keep going and the judgments keep coming?”

Haley has accused the Republican National Committee (RNC) of aiding Trump in scuttling her campaign before voters have had their say. 

“If you’re going to go in and basically tell the American people that you’re going to go and decide who the nominee is after only two states have voted,” she told NBC’s Meet the Press last month.  “I mean, 48 states out there. This is a democracy. The American people want to have their say in who is going to be their nominee. We need to give them that. I mean, you can’t do that based on just two states. And not only that, it’s 1,215 delegates to reach the nomination. Donald Trump has 32; I have 17. So let’s let this play out.”

Trump has leveled a barrage of attacks against Haley, including the use of a racist nickname, in his attempts to increase pressure for her withdrawal from the race. 

“When will stupid people like Nikki Haley confess to knowing that the Indictments and Litigation that I am fighting is all DEMOCRAT and Crooked Joe Biden INSPIRED, COORDINATED, & RUN!” Trump wrote Sunday on Truth Social. “The only money she is getting now is coming from Democrats. I know her well, and she just doesn’t have what it takes, and never will. MAGA!  P.S. She’s losing to Biden in almost every poll. I am winning in EVERY poll!” 

Regardless of his attacks — and her claims that his court cases could affect his ability to maintain his presidential bid — Haley told a Fox News town hall on Sunday that she would pardon the former president if she won the election. 

“I believe, in the best interest of bringing the country together, I would pardon Donald Trump. Because I think it’s important for the country to move on, we’ve got to leave the negativity and the baggage behind,” she said. “I don’t want this country divided any further, I don’t think it’s in

Nikki Haley doubled down on her refusal to withdraw from the Republican presidential primary despite facing virtually insurmountable odds in her bid to defeat former President Donald Trump. 

“Some of you, a few of you in the media, came here today to see if I’m dropping out of the race. Well, I’m not,” Haley told a crowd of supporters and reporters in Greenville, South Carolina, on Tuesday, adding that the Republicans who dropped out of the race have “surrendered” to the “herd mentality” in coalescing behind Trump. “I’m campaigning every day until the last person votes,” she added.

Trump has handily won every Republican primary contest so far, and is polling more than 25 points ahead of Haley in her home state of South Carolina. Haley lost the Nevada primary earlier this month to the “none of these candidates” option listed on the ballot, while Trump easily won the state’s caucuses a few days later.

Nevertheless, Haley has intensified her attacks against Trump, and went after him again on Tuesday. “Many of the same politicians who publicly embrace Trump, privately dread him,” Haley said. “They know what a disaster he’s been and will continue to be for our party. They are just too afraid to say it out loud. Well I’m not afraid to say the hard truth out loud. I feel no need to kiss the ring, I have no fear of Trump’s retribution.”

Haley also called out the former president’s “unstable and unhinged” attacks against her and her supporters. “True to form, he’s taking out his anger on others,” she said. “He’s getting meaner and more offensive by the day. He’s trying to bully me and anyone who supports me, he says they will be barred from MAGA permanently.” She went on to bash him for spending “$50 million in campaign contributions on personal court cases,” threatening “people who back your opponent” and calling “on Russia to invade NATO countries.”

In an interview with the Associated Press given ahead of the speech, Haley indicated she will stay in the race until Super Tuesday, at least.

“Ten days after South Carolina, another 20 states vote,” Haley told the publication, referencing the upcoming primary elections on Super Tuesday. “This isn’t Russia. We don’t want someone to go in and just get 99 percent of the vote,” she added. “What is the rush? Why is everybody so panicked about me having to get out of this race?”

Haley is the last remaining challenger to Trump’s nomination, with the rest of the initially jam-packed field of GOP hopefuls having dropped our faded into polling obscurity. Haley told the AP that a lot can change between now and election day in November. “People are not looking six months down the road when these court cases have taken place,” she said. “He’s going to be in a courtroom all of March, April, May and June. How in the world do you win a general election when these cases keep going and the judgments keep coming?”

Haley has accused the Republican National Committee (RNC) of aiding Trump in scuttling her campaign before voters have had their say. 

“If you’re going to go in and basically tell the American people that you’re going to go and decide who the nominee is after only two states have voted,” she told NBC’s Meet the Press last month.  “I mean, 48 states out there. This is a democracy. The American people want to have their say in who is going to be their nominee. We need to give them that. I mean, you can’t do that based on just two states. And not only that, it’s 1,215 delegates to reach the nomination. Donald Trump has 32; I have 17. So let’s let this play out.”

Trump has leveled a barrage of attacks against Haley, including the use of a racist nickname, in his attempts to increase pressure for her withdrawal from the race. 

“When will stupid people like Nikki Haley confess to knowing that the Indictments and Litigation that I am fighting is all DEMOCRAT and Crooked Joe Biden INSPIRED, COORDINATED, & RUN!” Trump wrote Sunday on Truth Social. “The only money she is getting now is coming from Democrats. I know her well, and she just doesn’t have what it takes, and never will. MAGA!  P.S. She’s losing to Biden in almost every poll. I am winning in EVERY poll!” 

Regardless of his attacks — and her claims that his court cases could affect his ability to maintain his presidential bid — Haley told a Fox News town hall on Sunday that she would pardon the former president if she won the election. 

“I believe, in the best interest of bringing the country together, I would pardon Donald Trump. Because I think it’s important for the country to move on, we’ve got to leave the negativity and the baggage behind,” she said. “I don’t want this country divided any further, I don’t think it’s in