Nikki Haley, former President Donald Trump’s first U.N. ambassador and former governor of South Carolina, shared her thoughts on whether he will run for office again, and criticized him for his role in stoking the violent riot on the U.S. Capitol building.
"We need to acknowledge he let us down," Haley toldPolitico magazine for an article published Friday. "He went down a path he shouldn't have, and we shouldn't have followed him, and we shouldn't have listened to him. And we can't let that ever happen again."
In an in-depth article in Politico magazine, Haley, who had remained in touch with former President Donald Trump after leaving her appointment and walked a fine line of being an ally and critic, said she had an emotional reaction to his speech on Jan. 6.
“Somebody is going to hear that, and bad things will happen,” Haley is quoted as saying about Trump’s comments specifically targeting former Vice President Mike Pence. “When I tell you I’m angry, it’s an understatement.”
Despite her reaction, Haley said she thought an impeachment “is a waste of time.”
When asked if Trump should be held accountable, Haley said she thought Trump is “going to find himself further and further isolated.”
“I think his business is suffering at this point. I think he’s lost any sort of political viability he was going to have. I think he’s lost his social media, which meant the world to him,” Haley is quoted as saying.
She also confidently said she doesn’t believe Trump will run again for president.
“I don’t think he’s going to be in the picture,” she told Politico.
Millions of Americans remain supportive of the former president, and statements from Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, and a Mar-a-Lago visit from House leader Kevin McCarthy, indicate Trump will remain a figure within the party.
Haley admits that support and loyalty for Trump will not just go away now that he is no longer in office.
“Nor do I think the Republican Party is going to go back to the way it was before Donald Trump. I don’t think it should. I think what we need to do is take the good that he built, leave the bad that he did, and get back to a place where we can be a good, valuable, effective party,” Haley said. Adding, “at the same time, it’s bigger than the party. I hope our country can come together and figure out how we pull this back.”
Haley told the magazine she last talked to Trump in December, but did not push back on his baseless claims of widespread voter fraud, saying she believes the former president “genuinely, to his core, he believes he was wronged.”
