Former President Donald Trump said Friday he doesn't understand why Republicans would want her to join the race despite his “terrible” victory over Nikki Haley in the primary, but former South Carolina's governor already claimed to be “supportive.” In his run for the White House.
Asked by “Fox & Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade if he intended to invite Haley to the campaign trail, Trump told “Yeah, we'll do what we have to do.”
“But I will tell you this: Nikki Haley and I fought and I beat her by 50, 60, 90 points,” the former president continued. “I beat her in her state by numbers that no one had ever beaten before.
“I beat Nicky badly,” he emphasized.
Trump, 78, admitted he was aware that “everyone” was calling for Haley, 52, to be used in the final weeks of the campaign, but seemed perplexed by it. .
“They don't say, 'Get Ron.'” [DeSantis]'And Ron did very well, but here again I beat everyone by numbers that have never been seen before,' he said. “And they keep talking about Nikki, Nikki.”
The former president said, “Even in my own state, [South Carolina] …. I beat her by numbers no one has ever seen before. [thought was possible]”
Trump continued, “It's like 50 points or something. And they say, 'Oh, when's Nikki coming back?'”
Haley was the first major Republican candidate to run against Trump in the primary, entering the race three months after the former president began his campaign, and was the last surviving candidate.
The former Trump administration official ended his bid for the White House in early March, but waited until late May to endorse Trump. And it didn't release delegates until July, days before the Republican National Convention.
“I love Nikki,” Trump insisted Friday, adding, “Nicki, I don't think she should have done what she did. That's what she did.”
Despite the grueling campaign, “Nikki is in it,” the former president declared.
“Nicki is already helping us,” Trump continued, “and she's on the ground.”
Haley could be used by an entourage of Republicans and independents leaning toward voting for Vice President Kamala Harris, but she has not yet appeared on the campaign trail with Trump.
