Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has criticized former President Donald Trump for adopting a “victim” mentality following his recent defeats in two civil lawsuits.
Haley, who is currently behind Trump by a significant margin in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, shared her thoughts during a campaign event in Fort Worth, Texas, on Monday night. This happened just hours before the presidential primaries were set to take place on Super Tuesday in the Lone Star State.
Haley noted that there have been additional court cases and judgments, but she expressed her concern about the former president’s focus on himself rather than the American people. She stated, “At no point is he ever talking about the American people… All he’s doing is talking about himself.”
The Context
The Super Tuesday contests, which took place in Texas, as well as 14 other states and the territory of American Samoa, will determine more than one-third of the delegates needed for the Republican and Democratic presidential nominations.
Haley has emerged as a formidable contender in the race for the Republican nomination, posing a stronger challenge to Trump than any previous primary opponent faced by Biden.
Haley has only emerged as the winner in one of the GOP primaries, securing a significant yet symbolic triumph over the former president in the District of Columbia on Sunday. However, her chances of winning in Texas or any upcoming contests are not favorable.
Haley, a former South Carolina governor who also served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under Trump, has emerged as the final significant Republican contender challenging the former president. As the primary season progresses, she has become more aggressive in her approach.
Earlier this year, Trump faced civil liability for business fraud in New York. Additionally, he recently lost two lawsuits involving defamation and sexual abuse allegations brought by former Elle columnist E. Jean Carroll. As a result, he has been ordered to pay over $540 million.
The former president has consistently asserted that he is the target of political “persecution” and a “witch hunt” by Democrats, as he continues to appeal the cases he has lost. Additionally, he is currently confronted with 91 felony charges spread across four distinct criminal cases.
What We Know
During her speech on Monday, Haley highlighted that Trump’s reaction to winning the New Hampshire Republican primary, despite her securing 43 percent of the vote, was one of becoming “completely unhinged.” She further pointed out that Trump had even gone as far as declaring that anyone who had contributed to her campaign should be “permanently barred from the MAGA camp,” which elicited cheers from the audience.
In her critique, the former governor expressed her disapproval of Trump’s insistence on being declared the presumptive GOP presidential nominee. She emphasized that her opposition to the former president was not driven by personal reasons and vehemently rejected his claims of being a victim.
Haley acknowledged that there were additional court cases and subsequent judgments, which led to Trump’s claims of victimhood. However, she emphasized that her stance on the matter was not personal. Haley expressed her support for Trump, stating that she had voted for him twice and took pride in serving America during his administration.
“The thing that really bothers me is that he never talks about the American people, whether it was the night of New Hampshire or after those court cases,” she expressed. “Instead, all he does is talk about himself. But the truth is, this isn’t about him; it’s about the American people.”
Views
When Trump lost to Haley on Sunday night, he wrote on Truth Social that he “purposely stayed away from the D.C. vote because it is the ‘Swamp,’ with very few delegates and no upside.” Trump often calls Haley “birdbrain.”
“Birdbrain dedicated her entire time, finances, and energy to that cause,” Trump expressed. “We achieved significant victories in Missouri, Idaho, and Michigan over the weekend—an absolute obliteration of a feeble adversary. The truly impressive numbers are yet to come on Super Tuesday. Additionally, our lead against the corrupt Joe has skyrocketed!”
According to Olivia Perez-Cubas, spokesperson for the Haley campaign, it comes as no surprise that Republicans who are intimately familiar with the dysfunction in Washington are rejecting Donald Trump and his chaotic approach, especially in light of the former governor’s recent victory.
What’s Next?
According to the Associated Press, Trump is anticipated to emerge victorious on Super Tuesday, but he won’t be able to secure the GOP nomination until at least March 12. However, if Haley manages to achieve any unexpected victories on Tuesday, it could potentially postpone Trump’s status as the presumptive nominee.
Haley faces a challenging road to secure the Republican nomination, as it would demand a highly improbable shift in the GOP electorate. It is worth noting that she has even been unsuccessful in winning over voters in her home state of South Carolina.
Despite losing in South Carolina, the former governor has consistently emphasized that she has no plans to withdraw from the race. According to her, winning is not a necessity at this point, as long as she remains competitive, she will continue to be a candidate.
