- Haley attacked Trump for remaining silent on the death of Russian political prisoner and opposition leader Alexei Navalny
- Accused Trump of ’empowering’ Russian President Vladimir Putin
- Navalny died on Friday at the age of 47 as a political prisoner in Russia
Nikki Haley is calling out Donald Trump for his recent ‘chilling’ response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s increasing aggression, amid speculation that he ordered the assassination of political rival Alexei Navalny.
The 2024 hopefuls said Trump’s silence on Navalny’s death is one of two things: the ex-president siding with Putin, or a sense of apathy toward a world leader who kills his opponent.
It comes after Trump faced a slew of backlash for encouraging Putin to attack delinquent NATO allies.
“This goes back to the fact that we need to remind the American people that Vladimir Putin is not our friend. Vladimir Putin is not cool,” Haley told ABC News This Week on Sunday morning. “This is not someone we want to associate with. This is not someone we want to be friends with. This is not someone we can trust.”
Former UN Ambassador. Nikki Haley attacked former President Donald Trump for remaining silent on the death of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s political rival and prisoner, Alexei Navalny
Haley has become increasingly critical of Trump’s soft stance on Russia and Putin’s empowerment. Pictured: Trump and Putin speaking at the APEC Leaders’ Summit in Vietnam on November 11, 2017
Navalny was a Russian opposition leader and anti-corruption activist and a political prisoner of Putin who died on Friday at the age of 47.
His body reportedly shows signs of bruising caused by being held down while having a seizure, raising fears that Navalny was killed on Putin’s orders.
Many world leaders and politicians have spoken out against Navalny’s untimely death, but Trump did not raise it during his rally last weekend, leading to swift criticism of the former president.
“It’s actually quite amazing that he… won’t acknowledge anything to Navalny,” Haley told ABC News host Jonathan Karl.
“Either he sides with Putin and thinks it’s cool that Putin killed one of his political opponents, or he just doesn’t think it’s that big of a deal,” she added. “Either of these is concerning. Both are a problem.’
Trump told a crowd in Conway, South Carolina, last weekend that if he were to run for president again, he would not protect NATO allies from Russia if they did not pay their fair share to the alliance.
“The president of a great country stood up and said, ‘If we don’t pay and we are attacked by Russia, will you protect us?’ I said you haven’t paid, are you overdue? He said, ‘Yes, let’s say that happened.’
“No, I wouldn’t protect you,” Trump said last Saturday. “In fact, I would encourage them (Russia) to do whatever they want.”
‘You have to pay! You have to pay your bills.’
Alexei Navalny (pictured) died on Friday at the age of 47 as a political prisoner in Russia – and recent reports are increasing concerns that he was killed on Putin’s orders
This all coincides with House discussion about more aid to Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, which entered its third year this month.
Republicans are more reluctant to send more money to Kiev after the US already provided billions to the Eastern European country after Russia invaded in February 2022.
Haley accuses Trump — who is the Republican front-runner for the 2024 ticket — of endorsing Putin with his recent comments.
“If you hear Donald Trump say a week ago in South Carolina that he would encourage Putin to invade our allies if they didn’t do their best. That’s chilling because all he did in that one moment was give Putin power,” Haley said.
“And all he did at that moment was side with a man who is killing his political opponents, he sided with a criminal who arrests American journalists and holds them hostage, and he sided with a man who government wanted to make it clear to people – don’t challenge me in the next elections, otherwise this will happen to you too.’