Nikki Haley: Joe Biden sending 'mixed messages' after airdropping aid into Gaza

RALEIGH, N.C. — Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley accused Democratic President Joe Biden of “sending mixed messages” on the United States’ role in Israel after U.S. cargo planes helped airdrop humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip Saturday morning.

“I think when Biden goes and says we’re going to go stand with our friend Israel, and now he’s done nothing but back track, and now he’s doing things on his own without standing with the partner that he’s supposed to, is not helping the situation,” she told reporters following a Saturday campaign rally in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Biden announced Friday that the airdrops would begin, saying the U.S. would join Jordan and other countries to send supplies. The announcement came days after more than 100 Palestinians were killed when witnesses said Israeli forces fired at people waiting for food in Gaza City.

Planes dropped more than 38,000 meals Saturday morning.

“Innocent people got caught in a terrible war unable to feed their families, and you saw the response when they tried to get aid," Biden said. "But we need to do more, and the United States will do more."

Israel has denied that its military is responsible for most of the deaths in Gaza City.

But Haley said Biden’s actions have undercut the United States’ commitments Israel.

“What we need is for him to come together with Israel and find a way to get those hostages home,” she said. “What we need is for him to come together with Israel and find a way to defeat Iran, who’s doing terrorist activity to our soldiers and countries around the world. What we need is for him to stand strong instead of putting his head in the sand. And Joe Biden continues to not acknowledge the fact that Iran is the problem.”

Haley was campaigning in Raleigh and Charlotte ahead of North Carolina's Super Tuesday primary elections.

Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Des Moines Register. She is also covering the 2024 presidential race for USA TODAY as a senior national campaign correspondent. Reach her at bpfann@dmreg.com or 515-284-8244. Follow her on Twitter at @brianneDMR.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Nikki Haley: Biden sent 'mixed messages' after airdropping aid in Gaza