Speaking at a rally in Indianola, Iowa, on Sunday, the day before the Iowa caucuses, former President Trump said one of his potential Republican presidential nominees, Nikki Haley, was not ready for the job.
President Trump told the audience that there is a lack of loyalty in politics, adding that Haley lacks loyalty to varying degrees.
He explained that when Haley was South Carolina's governor, he offered her the UN ambassadorship because his lieutenant at the time wanted her. Governor Henry McMaster becomes governor.
“Nicki did a good job. She's been there, but she's not ready to be president,” Trump said. “I know better…and she's honestly not tough enough.”
What the final polls before Monday's Iowa Republican presidential caucuses show
Nikki Haley's name has been floated as former President Trump's running mate. (Getty Images)
The comments came hours after the former South Carolina governor issued a challenge to Trump in an interview with Fox News Digital ahead of Monday's Iowa caucuses.
“Now it's you and me,” she said after the release of a poll that found her in second place against Trump and ahead of fellow Republican presidential candidate, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Polls show Trump maintains a commanding lead in this area.
DeSantis is betting big on Iowa. Will it pay off?
Former President Trump said one of his Republican presidential opponents, Nikki Haley, was not ready for the job. (AP Photo/Charlie Neighborgal/File)
On Sunday morning, Fox News asked President Trump whether he thought he could win more than 50% of the vote in the caucuses.
“I don't know, but I think we're doing very well,” Trump said.
The former president is running for the White House for the third consecutive year, and is the overwhelming favorite in the latest Iowa polls and national polls for the Republican presidential nomination.
Haley appears to be doing well at Iowa State despite media expectations
Former United Nations Ambassador and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks at a campaign event in Iowa City on January 13, 2024. (Alex Scott/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Numerous polls conducted in Iowa over the past month have given him more than 50% approval. And in the final Des Moines Register/Mediacom/NBC News poll of Republican caucus attendees released Saturday night, he had an approval rating of 48%.
His closest rivals, Haley and DeSantis, had 20% and 16%, respectively, in the new poll.
Haley appears to be doing well at Iowa State despite media expectations
The survey, conducted by pollster Ann Selzer, has been watched and highly anticipated, has a reputation for accuracy in past Republican presidential caucuses, and is considered by many to be the gold standard for Iowa polls. thinking.
Fox News Digital's Paul Steinhauser and Andrew Murray contributed to this report.
