Former South Carolina governor and former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley said on Tuesday that she is going to run for the GOP presidential nomination in 2024.
Before being elected governor of South Carolina in 2010, Haley spent three terms in the House of Representatives. At the age of 38, she was the nation’s youngest governor. She continued in office following her reelection until 2017, which is when former President Donald Trump proposed her for the position of US Ambassador to the UN.
In a video statement posted on Twitter, Haley stated, “Some look to our past as the evidence that America’s basic ideals are harmful; others believe the promise of freedom has just been made-up. Some believe that our beliefs are not just incorrect but also racist and nasty. There is no possible way that this is true.”
She continued by drawing comparisons between American freedom and the tyrannical behavior of authoritarian countries across the world.
She said, “I have witnessed wickedness; they commit genocide in China, and they kill their very own people in Iran for opposing the regime. And it puts things into perspective when a mom tells you about seeing troops toss her baby into a fire. We are fortunate to live in the United States, even on our worst days.”
Conservatives praised Haley for her no-holds-barred attitude at the U.N. She described UNESCO as being “one of the most corrupt and also politically biased UN bodies” and as being “anti-Semitic.” When the U.N. once more denounced the U.S., she vehemently supported the U.S. embargo on Cuba, stating, “The U.S. will keep standing with the Cuban people until all their rights as well as their freedoms are restored. Period. We will not give up.”
She consistently championed Israel against its critics while vehemently criticizing the tyrannical Iranian government.
Speaking at the American Enterprise Institute’s annual dinner in October 2019, Haley criticized Trump administration colleagues “who thought that the best thing to do for America was to obstruct and undermine the president,” saying that “the president was the decision made by the people in accordance with our constitutive act. No policy disagreement with him, regardless how sincere, justifies weakening the constitutionally granted power to his office.”
Haley also pledged to confront the woke Left and preserve American principles in the announcement video.
She said, “Some people look at America and perceive weakness.” The screen displayed President Biden, VP Kamala Harris, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “A chance to alter history is seen by the socialist Left. Russia and China are advancing; they all believe they can intimidate and mistreat us. I don’t tolerate bullies, and also when you kick back, it will hurt them more if you are wearing heels, so you should be aware of that about me.”
Haley is the second significant contender to declare their intent to seek the Republican presidential candidacy in 2024. Trump began his candidacy in November 2022, while former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis are also considering running.
As an officer in the South Carolina Army National Guard, Haley’s husband, Michael, served in Afghanistan, and they have two kids together.