On Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” Republican presidential candidate and former Gov. Nikki Haley (R-South Carolina) made clear whether she would support former President Donald Trump if he won the Republican presidential nomination. Rejected.
A partial transcription follows:
Carl: It’s about time, but I wanted to ask you, you said early on in this process that you would support Donald Trump if he won the Republican nomination. But since you made that promise, he said he would encourage NATO, he would encourage Russia, he would encourage Russia to do whatever it wants with its NATO allies. You called him decadent, unstable, and unfit for public office.
After everything that’s happened, are you still pledging to actually support Donald Trump as a presidential candidate if he beats you for the Republican nomination?
Haley: I mean, remember, there’s a reason I’m at odds with him.
Karl: No, I know.
Haley: I’m at odds with him because I don’t think he should be appropriate. I don’t think he’s the right person at the right time. I don’t think he should be president. The last thing I think about is who to support. All I have in mind is how to win. The only thing on my mind is how to fix what’s going on in America, to bring this country back together, to heal her, and to get her strength back.
I don’t think about who I support in elections.
Karl: But – but you already said that.
Haley: The United States is going to have a female president. It would be me or Kamala Harris. And even if Donald Trump were the Republican presidential nominee, he would not win. Every opinion poll shows that. he won’t win. And then we have President Kamala Harris.
I won’t allow that. It won’t stop. I’m not going anywhere. We’re going to be in this for the long haul.
Carl: So you wouldn’t support him if he were the Republican candidate?
Haley: I mean, I’m going to run and win. We can talk about support later. Ask him now if he’s going to support me if I become a candidate.
Karl: Do you think he would?
Haley: Do you think he would? I very much doubt it.
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN
