Share this @internewscast.com

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley said Monday that Donald Trump is “not qualified” to lead the country again after his recent comments about her deployed husband.

“He showed that with that kind of disrespect for the military, he’s not qualified to be the president of the United States, because I don’t trust him to protect them,” Haley said.

During a rally Saturday afternoon, Trump jabbed at Haley and her husband when talking about meeting them at his Florida resort.

“Then she comes over to see me at Mar-a-Lago. ‘Sir, I will never run against you.’ She brought her husband,” Trump said. “Where’s your husband? Oh, he’s away. He’s away. What happened to her husband? What happened to her husband? Where is he? He’s gone! He knew. He knew.”

In the past, Trump has made dubious comments about the Haleys’ marriage.

Michael Haley, a commissioned officer in the South Carolina Army National Guard, left for a yearlong deployment in June — a fact that Haley frequently mentions at her campaign events.

Haley fired back at Trump on social media over the weekend, and then in remarks to reporters Monday contrasted her husband’s service with the fact that Trump has “never come anywhere near a military uniform.”

“He’s never had to fight for survival like so many of them sacrifice to go do,” she said. “The most harm he’s ever come across is whether a golf ball hits him on a golf cart.”

And Haley said Monday that she didn’t believe Trump’s comments were an accident.

“This wasn’t a slip of the tongue for Trump,” she said. “When he goes off his teleprompter, that’s him speaking from the heart and it’s a pattern.” She brought up examples of Trump calling military members “suckers” and “losers,” according to his former chief of staff John Kelly, and other disparaging comments he is said to have made while visiting Arlington National Cemetery.

In 2020, Haley praised Trump’s record toward the military and defended him when then-candidate Joe Biden tweeted a video citing the “losers” and “suckers” remarks. Haley at the time said, “All of us who worked with [Trump] witnessed the tremendous amount of love and respect he has for our military.”

Haley, who signed a pledge to support her party’s nominee before participating in GOP primary debates last year, did not directly answer a question about whether she would vote for Trump again in 2024, noting that she’s “still trying to defeat him.”

But Haley added: “Anyone who will put down members of the military, anyone who will say that while they’re deployed — which is pretty disgusting — do you really want that person being the leader of all those who may have to go fight in a war?”

Trump national press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement, “There has been no greater advocate for our brave military men and women than President Trump.”

She added: “Nikki Haley advocates for greater foreign intervention and supports endless wars that would leave more American heroes dead. It’s a good thing she will be never be commander-in-chief.”

Haley has ramped up her rhetoric against the former president ahead of the Feb. 24 South Carolina primary, with early voting in the contest starting Monday. Her campaign debuted a chicken mascot last week, calling the former president “too chicken to debate.” It began handing out mental competency tests at campaign events, too. And the Haley team drove a mobile billboard outside of Trump’s event in South Carolina over the weekend that showed Trump and President Joe Biden on the “Grumpy Old Men” movie poster.

Haley fundraised off of Trump’s Saturday comments over the weekend, selling pro-military T-shirts and asking supporters to help “defeat Trump and elect a commander in chief who supports our troops and understands the sacrifices our military families make.”

Trump never served in the military. But going back to his first campaign for president, he has, at times, made disparaging comments about those who have.

In 2015, he went after then-Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and mocked his service and experience as a prisoner of war.

“He’s not a war hero,” Trump said. “He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured.”

Also during the 2016 campaign, Trump insulted the parents of a fallen Muslim U.S. Army captain, after they spoke out against him at the Democratic convention that year.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Top Ukrainian officials in Zelenskyy government submit resignations amid $100 million corruption scandal

High-Ranking Officials in Zelenskyy Administration Resign Following $100 Million Corruption Allegations

In a significant shake-up within the Ukrainian government, two high-ranking officials have…
Watch CBP Agents Taking Care of Business on the Streets of NC in New 'Operation Charlotte's Web'

CBP Agents in Action: Unveiling ‘Operation Charlotte’s Web’ on NC Streets

Last week, a wave of discussion erupted among North Carolina’s state and…
Chinese coast guard conducts patrol through disputed Senkaku Islands waters following Taiwan spat

Chinese Coast Guard Patrols Disputed Senkaku Islands Amid Rising Tensions with Taiwan

On Sunday, ships from the Chinese coast guard navigated the waters surrounding…
Yungblud cancels remaining 2025 shows due to health issue

Yungblud Postpones 2025 Tour Dates Citing Health Concerns

Yungblud has made the difficult decision to cancel the remaining dates of…
Religious freedom fight grows in Massachusetts community over statues honoring police and firefighters

Massachusetts Community Faces Intensifying Debate on Religious Freedom Over Police and Firefighter Statues

The community of Quincy, Massachusetts, finds itself embroiled in a contentious debate…
One person dead in Roosevelt Island building fire, 3 firefighters injured

Tragic Roosevelt Island Fire Claims One Life, Injures Three Brave Firefighters

Tragedy struck Roosevelt Island on Saturday evening when a fire claimed the…
Former CBP officer sentenced to 15 years in prison for role in drug trafficking scheme at southern border

Ex-CBP Officer Receives 15-Year Sentence for Involvement in Southern Border Drug Trafficking Operation

A former officer with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has been…
Protesters attack police, breach barrier at Mexico's National Palace during rally against cartel violence

Chaos Erupts at Mexico’s National Palace: Protesters Clash with Police in Anti-Cartel Violence Rally

On Saturday, Mexico City became the epicenter of a massive protest as…
Ex-Hamas hostage Emily Damari recounts 471 days of survival in Gaza: ‘Everyone needs to know what happened’

Former Hamas Hostage Emily Damari Shares Her 471-Day Survival Story in Gaza: ‘The World Must Hear This

As she stood before a captivated audience at Temple Emanu-El in New…
Kansas officers shot: 3 Osage County sheriff's deputies, 1 Kansas Highway Patrol trooper shot in rural Carbondale, police say

Breaking News: Four Kansas Law Enforcement Officers Injured in Carbondale Shooting Incident

In the quiet rural expanse south of Topeka, Kansas, the peace was…
OJ Simpson estate accepts Fred Goldman's $58M wrongful death claim nearly 30 years later: report

OJ Simpson’s Estate Settles $58M Wrongful Death Claim with Fred Goldman After Nearly 30 Years: Report

The estate of O.J. Simpson has moved closer to settling a nearly…
Knicks’ OG Anunoby out at least 2 weeks: source

Source Confirms Knicks’ OG Anunoby Sidelined for a Minimum of Two Weeks

New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby is sidelined with a left hamstring…