Nikki Haley denounces Donald Trump's attack on her husband - who is deployed overseas

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has a new reason to demand that ex-President Donald Trump debate her in South Carolina: The former president attacked Haley's husband, who is overseas on military deployment, for being absent from the campaign trial.

"If you mock the service of a combat veteran, you don’t deserve a driver’s license, let alone being president of the United States,” Haley told supporters in Gilbert, S.C., part of her bus tour throughout the state.

"Donald, if you have something to say, don’t say it behind my back," she said. "Get on a debate stage and say it to my face."

Hours earlier, during a rally in Conway, S.C., Trump referred to Michael Haley when discussing a meeting he had with Nikki Haley some time ago.

"She comes over to see me at Mar-a-Lago - 'sir, I will never run against you' ... She brought her husband," Trump said.

The former president then added: "Where’s your husband? ... Oh, he’s away ... He’s away ... What happened to her husband? What happened to her husband?! Where is he?! ... He’s gone! He knew! He knew!"

Haley quickly responded to Trump on the social media site X, formerly Twitter, noting that the Republican nomination frontrunner never served in the military.

"Michael is deployed serving our country, something you know nothing about," Haley said. "Someone who continually disrespects the sacrifices of military families has no business being commander in chief."

Michael Haley himself responded on X with a meme that read: “The difference between humans and animals? Animals would never allow the dumbest ones to lead the pack.”

Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, also reposted comments from her supporters condemning Trump.

President Joe Biden also weighed in, saying on X about Trump's question: "The answer is that Major Haley is abroad, serving his country right now. We know he (Trump) thinks our troops are 'suckers,' but this guy wouldn’t know service to his country if it slapped him in the face."

Trump in 2020 faced allegations first reported by The Atlantic that he repeatedly disparaged members of the military and described America's war dead as "losers" and "suckers."

"This is a disgrace," New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said on X. "Major Haley is serving his country. Donald Trump is again attacking and insulting military families."

Trump and Haley both campaigned in South Carolina on Saturday, two week ahead of the Republican primary on Feb. 24.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Haley denounces Trump's attack on husband - who is deployed overseas