As the New Hampshire Republican primary approaches, GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley has dramatically escalated her criticism of frontrunner Donald Trump in a bid to close the gap between them. With her political future potentially on the line, Haley is hitting Trump harder than ever on issues like his mental fitness, ties to dictators, and establishment status.
Haley Questions Trump’s Mental Acuity
In multiple interviews and campaign events over the past week, Haley has blasted Trump over his age and declining mental stability. She pointed to a recent campaign speech where Trump mistakenly attributed the January 6th Capitol riots to Haley, repeating her first name multiple times.
“If you have someone that’s 80 in office, their mental stability is going to continue to decline. That’s just human nature,” said Haley on CBS’s Face the Nation. Her comments echo Democrat’s concerns over Trump and Joe Biden’s advanced ages.
Criticizes Trump’s Relations With Dictators
Haley also attacked Trump’s cozy ties to authoritarian rulers like Putin and Kim Jong Un. She slammed his “bromance with Putin” and “love letters” to the North Korean dictator. Most recently, Trump praised Hungarian leader Viktor Orban as a “strongman,” alarming critics.
“You can’t have someone who’s trying to buddy up with dictators that want to kill us,” Haley said. She argued a president must confront, not coddle, such leaders.
Labels Trump an Establishment Insider
Despite his anti-establishment image, Haley portrayed Trump as very much a creature of the DC swamp. She pointed to his nearly $8 trillion increase in the national debt during his presidency. Haley also cited Trump’s proposed 25 cent gas tax hike while in office.
“The problem with Donald Trump and Joe Biden is they think if they tell Americans something, that it’s the truth. But the problem is both of these guys are lying to the American people,” Haley stated.
Trump Accuses Haley of Being Too Moderate
Trump has fired back by accusing Haley of being “too moderate” for the Republican Party. Specifically, he alleged Haley wants to cut Social Security. Haley strongly denied this, touting her conservative credentials as South Carolina governor.
Haley Looks to Build Momentum
Haley hopes a strong second place New Hampshire finish can reenergize her White House bid. While she trails Trump by double-digits in state polls, her goal is to significantly close the margin. A surprise upset victory would reshuffle the GOP race. Moving forward, Haley may train more of her fire on Trump rather than rival Ron DeSantis.
With New Hampshire likely deciding if Haley remains a contender or also-ran, expect her clashes with Donald Trump to intensify. Their ideological and generational
