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
This week in Campus Radicals: Christian student flunked, Jewish students shaken, conservative groups blocked

Campus Controversies Unveiled: Christian Student’s Grade Dispute, Jewish Student Concerns, and Conservative Group Challenges

This past week, Fox News Digital’s ongoing “Campus Radicals” series has shed…
Katy Perry shares new photos, videos with Justin Trudeau in Instagram post

Katy Perry’s Instagram Buzz: Exclusive Photos and Videos with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

Former Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida shared a moment on social media,…
Native Americans Praise Reversal of Biden Rule on Alaskan Drilling

Alaskan Drilling Decision Reversal Earns Applause from Native American Communities

The ongoing debate surrounding the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) has taken…
Man pleads guilty to 2020 Atlantic Beach murder

Justice Served: Man Admits Guilt in Chilling 2020 Atlantic Beach Murder Case

Hudson Rady, a 25-year-old man, will face sentencing on February 2, 2026,…
1 hostage remains with Hamas after latest body is ID'd

Breaking: Only One Hostage Left with Hamas as Latest Victim Identified

In a solemn confirmation, Israeli authorities announced on Wednesday that the remains…
Inside ‘Little Mogadishu’: Minnesota’s beleaguered Somali community under a cloud of fraud and Trump attacks

Exploring ‘Little Mogadishu’: Minnesota’s Somali Community Faces Challenges Amid Fraud Allegations and Political Scrutiny

Minnesota boasts the largest Somali community in the United States, a vibrant…
Michael Goodwin: Mamdani's senseless plan to end homeless camp sweeps has no real solution in sight

Michael Goodwin: Mamdani’s Proposal to Halt Homeless Camp Sweeps Lacks Viable Solutions

Mayoral transitions often come with a period of calm, but for Zohran…
Coast Guard is searching for a person, possibly in the water, after finding unmanned raft in Mayport

Coast Guard Launches Search for Missing Individual Following Discovery of Unmanned Raft in Mayport Waters

The Coast Guard and local agencies are calling on the public for…
Another must-watch moment for Michael Jordan as NBA great testifies at NASCAR trial

Michael Jordan Takes the Stand: NBA Legend’s Testimony Shakes Up NASCAR Trial

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Michael Jordan, a figure synonymous with legendary achievements, recently…
Putin rejects key parts of US peace plan as Kremlin official warns Europe faces new war risk: report

Putin Dismisses US Peace Proposal, Kremlin Warns of Escalating War Threat in Europe

Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly dismissed significant aspects of a U.S.-endorsed…
Driver cited for CTA bus crash that killed Tracy Frasure in 7000-block of South South Shore Drive in South Shore: Chicago police

Chicago Police Issue Citation in Fatal CTA Bus Accident on South South Shore Drive, Resulting in the Death of Tracy Frasure

CHICAGO (WLS) — A tragic incident unfolded on Wednesday in South Shore…
Missing data on bus repairs spark troubling questions about MTA fleet: investigation

Investigation Uncovers Concerning Gaps in MTA Bus Repair Records

In a startling revelation, a Daily News investigation has uncovered that hundreds…