Nikki Haley Called Trump ‘Unstable and Unhinged.’ Now She’s Voting for Him

Jeremy Childs
·2 min read
19

Nikki Haley spent the 2024 primary season railing against Donald Trump, but now she’s pledging her vote to him, tail between her legs.

Haley made the admission during her first speaking event since suspending her campaign Wednesday afternoon at the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank where she was recently appointed the Walter P. Stern chair.

Though the event was primarily focused on national security weaknesses and responses to the Middle East, the moderator at one point asked Haley about Joe Biden and Donald Trump, the presumptive nominees for president. In response, Haley laid out a few criteria she looks for in a presidential candidate, including someone who will support capitalism, reduce the national debt, secure the border, support our allies, and hold our enemies to account.

“Trump has not been perfect on these policies. I’ve made that clear, many, many times,” Haley said. “But Biden has been a catastrophe. So, I will be voting for Trump.”

Haley has made her feelings on Trump well known while campaigning against him, calling him “unhinged and unstable.” She had fashioned herself as a candidate for Republicans who disdained Trump but feared expressing that opinion publicly due to his fervent voter base.

“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 said back in February.

Haley swinging her support behind Trump comes as the Biden campaign has been actively courting Haley primary voters for the general election, in hopes that their disdain for Trump outweighs political party allegiance. Haley obliquely referenced this in her Hudson Institute speech, harkening back to the speech she made when she suspended her campaign.

“Trump would be smart to reach out to the millions of people who voted for me and continue to support me, and not assume that they’re just going to be with him,” Haley said at the event.

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