Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley dodged a question about whether she thinks former President Donald Trump is a good candidate, admitting only that she thinks he’s the “Republican candidate.”
After Haley said of her candidacy in 2024 during an interview on CBS’s Face the Nation that aired Sunday, “I ran because I thought I could do a better job,” moderator Margaret Brennan responded, “You don’t think he’s a good candidate. ?”
“I think he’s the Republican nominee,” Haley said in a video released before the full interview. “And I think pitting him against Kamala Harris, who’s the Democratic nominee — to me, that’s a non-issue.”
“Now, do I agree with his style? Do I agree with his approach? Do I agree with his communication? No,” he continued.
Haley, who ran for the Republican nomination against Trump before resigning and quickly endorsing him, said that while she doesn’t agree with Trump’s style, approach or messaging, she supports the former president because of political conventions.
The former UN ambassador is also ready to give advice, he told CBS. Haley said she is “on standby” to campaign for Trump — and that she is aware of his willingness. But he said he has not been asked to help prepare or campaign for the debate.
“And that’s his choice — whatever he chooses to do with his campaign, he can do it,” Haley said.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” last month that he would like to see Haley and other GOP leaders hit back, saying, “Me and Nikki have to go to Georgia.”
“We give advice on TV to President Trump. He has a lot of criticism,” Graham said. “He has a lot of advisers, but for Nikki Haley and [Florida Gov. Ron] DeSantis and [Virginia Gov. Glenn] Youngkin and all these great people we have, let’s get together and campaign for the man.
Haley’s support — and desire to snub Trump — is a far cry from the dynamic they shared during the primaries, when Trump mocked Haley’s birth name and Haley called her “diminished” and “unattached.” Speaking at Clemson University after losing the South Carolina primary to Trump, Haley called him a “disaster” for the GOP, adding that she wasn’t afraid to voice her displeasure publicly and didn’t have to “kiss the ring.”
“Well, I’m not afraid to speak hard truths out loud,” Haley said at the time before endorsing Trump. “I don’t feel the need to kiss the ring. And I’m not afraid of Trump’s revenge. I’m not looking for anything from him.”
Haley has gradually changed her tune since then, speaking at the Republican National Convention in July and offering her “strong support” for him.
But that hasn’t stopped Haley from criticizing the Trump campaign’s performance, telling Fox News in August that it needed to “focus” and stay away from personal attacks on Harris.
After discussing the options before voters in November, Haley appeared to adopt a condescending tone in her comments to Brennan.
“These are the candidates we’ve been given,” Haley said.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
