Nikki Haley, who served during the Donald Trump administration as the US Ambassador to the United Nations, has a complicated relationship with her former boss. The two have history. Trump hired Haley, of course. But Haley also mounted a viable campaign to capture the 2024 Republican presidential nomination for herself over Trump while employing biting rhetoric that was damaging to Trump. 

As a candidate for the nomination, Haley earned over 4 million votes – many of which came from people disaffected with Trump’s behavior and bombast and hoping to elevate a more sophisticated and civil candidate (albeit viciously hawkish); Haley was a big draw for the Never Trump crowd.  

Nikki Haley and Donald Trump: Joining Forces? 

Now, however, with a Trump-Harris election looming, Haley has picked her side: she’s backing Trump.

Haley seems to be acting with craven self-interest after arguing that Trump was unfit for office just months ago. Now Haley is Team Trump – yet, the impact of Haley’s support may be blunted; Many of Haley’s supporters are Haley supporters, not so much because they like Haley, but because they don’t like Trump. So, Haley’s endorsement of Trump becomes complicated; many Haley supporters are not going to simply migrate along with Haley over to Team Trump.

Indeed, the complications and the fractures within the Haley Camp are indicative of the fissures within the greater Republican Party. Trump himself is the line in the sand, and we’ll see whose willing to cross that line.

The impact of Haley’s support

“Nikki Haley has made clear she’s on Team Trump,” POLITICO reported. “Her supporters don’t all feel the same. Former state campaign chairs for Haley’s now-defunct presidential bid are increasingly coming out against the former president…And in several other cases, they are endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris over Trump, including in Iowa and Michigan.”

A segment of the Haley voter pool is organizing funds to inspire Republicans to vote for Kamala Harris. As former GOP Congressman David Emery, a Haley supporter now organizing support for Harris, put it: “Most of us are pretty disgusted with Trump and think he would be a disaster. And if you really believe that, then you can’t sit on the sidelines.”

The reluctance of Haley backers choosing to back Harris should come as no surprise; Haley’s recent candidacy was predicated on the idea that Trump was unfit for office.

“The problem now is [Trump] is not the same person he was in 2016,” Haley said last February during an interview with the Today Show. “He is unhinged; he is more diminished than he was, just like Joe Biden’s more diminished than what he was. We have to see this for what it is. This is a fact: He is now saying things that don’t make sense.”

Now, however, that Trump is once again the de facto leader of the party, poised to win back the presidency and influence the fates of all higher-echelon Republicans, Haley is back on board.

The general public seems to grant most politicians some latitude for flip-flopping or position evolution. But Haley’s seesawing on Trump, from caustic renouncement to obedient subservience, is likely too much for most.

About the Author: Harrison Kass 

Harrison Kass is a defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.

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