Donald Trump said remaining primary rival Nikki Haley is only in the race because she “doesn’t know how to get out.”
It comes after a ‘state of the race’ address earlier in the day where former UN ambassador. Haley said she is “nowhere near” ready to drop out of the 2024 race.
Speaking at a town hall in South Carolina on Tuesday, Trump blasted Haley for staying in the running for so long — especially after the huge primaries in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada.
“I don’t actually think she knows how to get out. No way,” Trump said to laughter from the studio audience in Greenville, South Carolina.
He added, citing polls in the Palmetto State: “You’re not supposed to lose your home state and it’s doing it in a big way.”
‘She’s doing poorly in the polls. Look, if she was okay, I would understand.”
Former President Donald Trump said during a Fox News town hall on Tuesday that primary rival Nikki Haley “simply can’t get out of the 2024 race.”
Haley blasted Trump during her campaign speech in Greenville ahead of the South Carolina primary on Saturday. She said she will remain in the race regardless of the results of the primaries in her home state
Trump also alleged that Haley is “playing into” Democrats who he claims are bankrolling her campaign as a way to hurt his chances in the November general election.
“They’re trying to hurt me because of the general election, so the Democrats give her money and she’s in the game,” Trump theorized.
“I think she just can’t get it out.”
Haley took a defiant stance earlier on Tuesday, saying she is “not going anywhere” and vowing to fight “harder than ever” ahead of the Republican Party’s presidential primaries in South Carolina on Saturday.
Haley gave an impassioned speech about the race in Greenville as Trump arrived for the town hall taping with Fox host Laura Ingraham.
It comes just four days before the state’s primary elections, amid calls from fellow Republicans for Haley to resign. Instead she crouches down.
“Some of you, maybe some of you in the media, came here today to see if I’m dropping out of the race,” Haley said. “Well, I’m not, far from it.”
Haley rejected calls for her departure, claiming they came from the “political elite” and insisting she had not won a single state to date. She came third in Iowa, second in New Hampshire, and lost the Nevada primary to “none of these candidates” when Trump won the state’s caucuses.
Haley said she will still run for president on Sunday regardless of the outcome of Saturday’s South Carolina primary. She pointed out that another 21 states and territories will vote in the 10 days after South Carolina.
Haley denounced Republicans who called on her to resign, saying people deserve a choice in the primaries, “not a Soviet-style election.” She said of Trump that she sees no reason to ‘kiss the ring’
‘Quitting would be the easy route. I never took the easy route,” Haley said. “I’ve been the underdog in every race I’ve ever run. I’ve always been David, taking on Goliath, and like David, I’m not just fighting someone bigger than me, I’m fighting for something bigger than myself.”
Haley has criticized Trump on the campaign trail but stepped up her attacks on the Republican presidential nominee on Tuesday, calling him “unstable” and “unhinged.”
“People have the right to have their voices heard, and they deserve a real choice, not a Soviet-style election where there is only one candidate and he gets 99% of the vote,” Haley said. ‘We do not anoint kings in this land. We have elections, and Donald Trump in particular needs to know that we are not rigging the elections!’
She said the country does not want more chaos and madness, and argued that Americans do not want another rematch between Trump and Biden.
“Ultimately, Donald Trump is the only candidate who helps Joe Biden because Trump is the only Republican who can beat Biden,” Haley said.
Haley called Biden and Trump two old men who were only getting older.
‘We’re talking about the most demanding job in human history. You don’t give it to someone who is at risk of dementia,” Haley said.
Haley with her husband at a campaign event in March 2023. Michael Haley, who serves as a major in the South Carolina Army National Guard, deployed overseas last year
At one point in her speech, Haley became visibly emotional as she spoke about her husband Michael, a major in the South Carolina Army National Guard who is currently serving overseas.
“As I prepare for what lies ahead, Michael is at the forefront of my thoughts. “I wish Michael was here today, and I wish our kids and I could see him tonight, but we can’t,” Haley said, holding back tears.
“Michael fights for the country he loves, as do all his brothers in arms, wherever they are stationed in our dangerous world. They took their stand because America is worth fighting and even dying for,” Haley said. “Now I will continue to defend my position because America is worth living for.”
Haley’s emotional comments about her husband being deployed abroad come after Trump recently joked about his absences on the campaign trail.
During a rally, Trump recalled that Haley had come to see him earlier at Mar-a-Lago and brought her husband with her, before saying, “What happened to her husband?” What happened to her husband? Where is he? He is gone! He knew.’
Trump’s campaign released a memo on Tuesday saying the end of Haley’s campaign is near. Based on their analysis, they predict that even with a generous model for Haley, Trump will win the Republican nomination on March 19. Based on current data, they estimate that he will secure the necessary 1,223 delegates by March 12.