Haley drops out of the 2024 presidential election but doesn't endorse Trump

Nikki Haley announced she was suspending her 2024 presidential campaign Wednesday morning, after suffering disappointing losses across the country on Super Tuesday. Haley's exit paves the way for former President Donald Trump to coast to the nomination, setting up an all but guaranteed rematch of the 2020 election with President Joe Biden.

Haley said she will continue to promote the values she campaigned on − lowering the national debt, a smaller federal government, term limits for lawmakers, standing by allies in Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan and turning away from division.

"Although I will no longer be a candidate, I will not stop using my voice for the things I believe in," she said.

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Mitch McConnell endorses Trump

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell formally endorsed Donald Trump for another presidential term on Wednesday, shortly after Nikki Haley dropped out of the GOP race.

"It is abundantly clear that former President Trump has earned the requisite support of Republican voters to be our nominee for President of the United States. It should come as no surprise that as nominee, he will have my support," McConnell said in a statement provided to USA TODAY Wednesday.

-David Jackson and Riley Beggin 

Biden makes appeal to Haley supporters 

President Joe Biden Wednesday said in a statement there’s a place in his campaign for Haley supporters, which he says former President Donald Trump does not want.

“I know there is a lot we won’t agree on. But on the fundamental issues of preserving American democracy, on standing up for the rule of law, on treating each other with decency and dignity and respect, on preserving NATO and standing up to America’s adversaries, I hope and believe we can find common ground,” he said.

Biden praised the historic nature of Haley's campaign and her criticism of former President Trump.

“Nikki Haley was willing to speak the truth about Trump," he said.

--Rachel Looker

Trump welcomes Haley’s exit and attacks her

Donald Trump wasn’t exactly magnanimous after Haley’s withdraw from the race.

“Nikki Haley got TROUNCED last night, in record setting fashion, despite the fact that Democrats, for reasons unknown, are allowed to vote in Vermont, and various other Republican Primaries,” Trump said on his Truth Social post.                      

Even as Haley prepared to announce the suspension of her campaign, Trump said in his post: “At this point, I hope she stays in the ‘race’ and fights it out until the end!”

Trump did get around to inviting Haley voters to back him, saying Biden is their mutual “enemy.”

Earlier in the day, Trump used the Haley news to make a fundraising pitch, telling donors in a text that it is time to unify the party.

“Nikki Haley drops out!” the solicitation said. “It was a hard-fought race, but now it’s time for us to UNITE AS A PARTY AND DEFEAT JOE BIDEN!”

--David Jackson

Haley: Trump will be the nomineee 'in all likelihood'

Haley added that "in all likelihood," Trump will be the Republican nominee when the party meets during the national nominating convention in July.

"I congratulate him and wish him well. I wish anyone well who would be America's president," she said. "Our country is too precious to let our differences divide us."

Haley said she has always been a conservative Republican and has always supported the Republican nominee, but added: "On this question, as she did on so many others, Margaret Thatcher provided some good advice when she said 'never just follow the crowd, always make up your own mind.'"

It is now up to Trump to earn the votes of those in the Republican and party and beyond it who did not support him, she said.

"I hope he does that."

--Rachel Looker

Haley: 'The time has come to suspend my campaign' 

Haley told a crowd in Charleston, South Carolina, Wednesday morning that she would be suspending her campaign, saying she "has no regrets."

"I'm filled with the gratitude for the outpouring of support we've received from all across our great country, but the time has now come to suspend my campaign," she said.

Haley told her supporters she launched her campaign for Americans to have their voices heard, and she feels she has accomplished throughout her campaign.

"I sought the honor of being your president, but in our great country, being a private citizen is privilege enough in itself. That's a privilege I very much look to enjoying," she added.

-Rachel Looker

Nikki Haley’s evolving stance on Trump

Haley will not immediately endorse Donald Trump in her announcement that she is exiting the 2024 race.

The former U.N. ambassador under his administration, Haley toed the line against Trump early in her campaign, and even said she would support him as the party’s nominee if he was a convicted felon at the first GOP debate in August.

She sharpened her rhetoric against him in the final weeks, as she courted independent-minded voters. Although Haley insisted that she was not “anti-Trump,” she described him as a “disaster” for the Republican Party, “unstable and “unhinged.

-Karissa Waddick

Nikki Haley’s history-making campaign

Nikki Haley did not breakthrough the final glass ceiling, but her yearlong campaign for the presidency did make history.

Haley became the first woman to win a Republican presidential primary, with victories in the District of Columbia and Vermont. She was also the first Indian-American woman to run in the GOP race.

-Karissa Waddick

Where will Haley end her campaign?

Haley will make her final 2024 presidential campaign speech in her home state of South Carolina, where her political career began. She will give the speech in the state’s capital, Charleston, at 10 a.m.

-Karissa Waddick

Nikki Haley sees victory in Vermont

Haley's win in Vermont Tuesday night was her second victory in the Republican primaries after winning the District of Columbia over the weekend.

The former South Carolina governor defeated Trump by nearly 3,000 voters, winning nine delegates from the state.

Political pundits pointed to Vermont as Haley's best chance to win a state given its history of favoring moderate Republican candidates. She also received an endorsement from Vermont Republican Gov. Phil Scott over the weekend.

- Rachel Looker 

Sole House GOP lawmaker who backed Haley is now 'supporting Trump 100%'

Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., the only House Republican to have endorsed Haley, told reporters Wednesday morning he intends to support Trump "100%."

"This is how democracy works," Norman said of Haley's campaign. "She put a plan forward. She beat what, 13 others? She did a good job."

"But the people chose Donald Trump. That's a good thing that it played out like this. What Nikki Haley did was really historic," he added.

Norman said he hasn't yet spoke to Haley but intends to call Trump later today.

- Ken Tran

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nikki Haley ends 2024 campaign, doesn't endorse Trump