DOVER, N.H. — As part of her final pitch to Granite State voters, Nikki Haley is revisiting the early support she received from Otto Warmbier's mother.
Haley's campaign is spotlighting Cindy Warmbier as she charges for a high-stakes showdown with former President Donald Trump in a three-minute TV spot that will blanket the airwaves in New Hampshire.
“When we asked the Obama administration for help, they told us to shut up and be patient. Nikki told us the opposite. I said it was okay, but I had to overcome that fear.” Cindy Warmbier said in a statement highlighted in the ad..
Otto Warmbier was arrested in North Korea in 2016 when he was a university student.
He then returned to the United States in 2017 with severe brain damage, but ultimately died at the age of 22.
The spot comes as Haley's team relies heavily on a strong performance in New Hampshire, proving she has what it takes to take on former President Donald Trump. became.
Trump and Haley have been divided over North Korea since Haley resigned as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
The 77-year-old former president had sought to mend relations with North Korea's Kim Jong Un.
He met with him in both 2018 and 2019.
“I can't believe what he says.” [Kim] Trump suggested in 2019 that Kim was not responsible for Otto Warmbier's condition.
“And some really bad things happened to Otto. Some really, really bad things happened. But he told me he didn't know about it, and I'm going to take his word for it.” is.”
Haley, who had just finished her term in the Trump administration at the time, broke with Trump over the issue.
“Americans know the brutality the North Korean regime inflicted on Otto Warmbier. We wholeheartedly stand with the strength and courage of the Warmbier family. We will never forget Otto,” Haley said. posted on X.
Haley and Trump have stepped up their attacks on each other ahead of the New Hampshire primary.
This week, two Republican presidential candidates appeared to rule out the possibility of running together on the ticket.
“She is not in the president's cabinet,” President Trump declared Friday in Concord, New Hampshire. “If I say that now, it probably means she won't be elected vice president.”
Earlier in the day, Haley also ruled out the vice president position.
“I don't want to be anybody's vice president. That's beside the point,” Haley said in Amherst, New Hampshire, The Washington Post reported.
For months, Haley has avoided the question.
Some of President Trump's closest allies were concerned about the prospect and had warned of an insurrection.
New Hampshire's primary election will be held next Tuesday.
Mr. Trump has a large lead at 46.8%. Haley was followed by New Hampshire and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis with 6%, according to the latest RealClearPolitics count, with 33.3%.
