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The former governor of South Carolina and former ambassador to the United Nations under Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, will announce her candidacy next February 15 in Charleston. She would be the first to formally challenge the former president for the Republican nomination.
According to The Post and Courier, “the confirmation she is entering the race came Jan. 31 from a member of Haley’s inner circle” and her supporters are expected to receive an invitation to the event in the coming days. In addition, The Washington Post did not rule out the release of an official launch video in the coming days.
Nikki Haley, now 51, had stated that she would not run for president if Trump was in the race. “I would not run if President Trump ran, and I would talk to him about it. That’s something that we will have a conversation about, at some point,” she said in April 2021.
She firmly believes that she has the qualifications to lead the United States at this historic moment and said so in an interview with Fox News. “When you’re looking at a run for president, you look at two things,” Haley said during a Fox News interview. “You first [see if] the current situation pushes for new leadership? The second question is, am I that person that could be that new leader, that we need to go in a new direction? And can I be that leader? Yes, I think I can be that leader,” she said.
In addition, without giving names, she slipped in some criticism of the advanced age of past candidates. “I don’t think you need to be 80 years old to go be a leader in D.C.,” she added.
Since her time as governor, Nikki Haley’s name has been bandied about in every presidential election, both as a candidate for president and as a strong choice for vice president. There was even speculation that she could replace Mike Pence in 2020. Her first flirtation with the presidency was in July 2022 while giving a speech at the Christians United for Israel summit.
“If this president signs any sort of [Iran nuclear] deal, I’ll make you a promise: The next president will shred it on her first day in office,” and, “Just saying, sometimes it takes a woman,” she said at the time, drawing applause from the crowd.
Nikki Haley’s track record
Haley served as a state congresswoman from 2005 to 2011, then served nearly two terms as governor of South Carolina, the state’s first female governor, the youngest governor in the country and the second governor of Indian descent in U.S. history.
Her relationship with Donald Trump
Haley accepted without hesitation Trump’s offer to be part of his administration. She served as ambassador to the UN from January 2017 until December 2018, when she resigned. “I think you have to be selfless enough to know when you step aside and allow someone else to do the job,” she clarified after the announcement.
As a former official, she was very critical of what happened on January 6 on Capitol Hill and, in particular, she accused Trump of not having protected then-Vice President Pence. However, she did not miss the opportunity to praise the administration she was part of.
“Most of Mr. Trump’s major policies were outstanding and made America stronger, safer and more prosperous. Many of his actions since the election were wrong and will be judged harshly by history…I will gladly defend the bulk of the Trump record and his determination to shake up the corrupt status quo in Washington,” she said in February 2021.
Joaquín Núñez es licenciado en comunicación periodística por la Universidad Católica Argentina. Se especializa en el escenario internacional y en la política nacional norteamericana. Confeso hincha de Racing Club de Avellaneda. Contacto: [email protected] // Joaquín Núñez has a degree in journalistic communication from the Universidad Católica Argentina. He specializes in the international scene and national American politics. Confessed fan of Racing Club of Avellaneda. Contact: [email protected]