WASHINGTON: Calling her a “birdbrain” and warning that those contributing to her campaign will be “permanently barred from the MAGA camp,” former US President Donald Trump is attempting to bully Nikki Haley into quitting Republican nomination race amid growing disquiet in the country about his politics of vengeance.
Trump went after Haley on Thursday after securing a comfortable win in the New Hampshire primary, denigrating her in sexist terms after she pledged to continue fighting for the nomination despite losing to him in the first two states that had inner-party elections.
“Nikki “Birdbrain” Haley is very bad for the Republican Party and, indeed, our Country. Her False Statements, Derogatory Comments, and Humiliating Public Loss, is demeaning to True American Patriots. Her anger should be aimed at her Third Rate Political Consultants and, more importantly, Crooked Joe Biden and those that are destroying our Country – NOT THE PEOPLE WHO WILL SAVE IT,” Trump posted on his platform “Truth Social,” even as two prominent Republican Senators who had reservations about him, aligned with him.
They included Tim Scott, an African-American lawmaker who Haley backed in his Senate race in South Carolina. Many other establishment Republicans are also starting to reconcile to a Trump nomination fueled by MAGA insurgents, but Haley has refused to bow out, evidently hoping that Trump’s legal troubles and erratic behavior will derail his campaign at some point.
In social media posts, Trump went so far as to trash Haley’s competency, although he drafted her to be the US ambassador to the UN during his first term after promising to enlist only the “best people” into his administration.
“I knew Nikki well, she was average at best, is not the one to take on World Leaders, and she never did. That was up to me, and that is why they respected the United States,” Trump boasted.
Trump has also promoted a birther conspiracy suggesting Haley is not eligible to president because she was born when her parents were not US citizens. Haley was born in Bamberg, South Carolina to Sikh immigrants; the US Constitution does not take into account parents’ status in allowing US born citizens to run for the White House.
Trump’s denigration of Haley is par for course for a man who openly threatens to wreak vengeance on rivals while demanding absolute loyalty. He has destroyed the careers of several Republican lawmakers who have opposed him in the past, ensuring they are “primaried” — defeated by his MAGA flock in inner party elections. Some have survived by return to his fold with simpering obeisance.
“When I ran for Office and won, I noticed that the losing Candidate’s “Donors” would immediately come to me, and want to “help out.” This is standard in Politics, but no longer with me. Anybody that makes a “Contribution” to Birdbrain, from this moment forth, will be permanently barred from the MAGA camp. We don’t want them, and will not accept them, because we Put America First, and ALWAYS WILL!” he raged on Truth Social.
Haley continues to raise money from Republicans leery of Trump, a significant constituency estimated to be around 30 percent of the party. Advised by a former aide and spokesperson to look at the granular details of the New Hampshire win, which showed divisions within the GOP, Trump lashed out at her, saying, “I don’t need any advice from RINO Kayleigh McEnany on Fox. Just had a GIANT VICTORY over a badly failing candidate, “Birdbrain,” and she’s telling me what I can do better. Save your advice for Nikki!”
RINO stands for “Republicans in Name Only” in Trump parlance.