At a rally in South Carolina, former President Donald Trump took a jab at Nikki Haley in her own backyard. He also poked fun at the absence of her husband, who’s deployed overseas.
Where’s Haley’s Husband?
‘Where’s her husband? Oh, he’s away. … What happened to her husband? Where is he? He’s gone,’ Trump quipped during his first visit to the state this year.
Serving Abroad in Africa
Michael Haley, serving in the South Carolina Army National Guard, is deployed in Africa supporting the United States Africa Command — marking his second active-duty deployment abroad.
Haley Hits Back
Nikki Haley sharply responded to Trump’s remarks later that Saturday, countering, “If you mock the service of a combat veteran, you don’t deserve a driver’s license, let alone being president of the United States.”
Direct Challenge to Trump
At a gathering in Gilbert, South Carolina, Nikki Haley directly addressed Donald Trump with a challenge: “Donald, if you have something to say, don’t say it behind my back; get on a debate stage and say it to my face.”
Meme Clapback at Trump
In an unusual move, Michael Haley clapped back at Trump by tweeting a meme that read, “The difference between humans and animals? Animals would never allow the dumbest ones to lead the pack,” directly tagging Trump’s account.
Former First Lady’s Absence
Melania Trump, the former first lady, has been noticeably absent from the public campaign trail and court appearances with her husband since his presidential announcement in November 2022.
Defending Veteran Service
Responding promptly to the comments from Saturday, Haley’s surrogates made their stance clear. “When you start talking about a veteran serving overseas, I don’t care if you know them or not, that should make your heart sick,” state Rep. Chris Wooten stated, having introduced Haley at an evening rally.
The Struggle of Service
Haley spoke with pride about her husband’s service, emphasizing the collective sacrifice of military families. In her speech, she shared the struggles her husband faced readjusting after his deployment to Afghanistan, including his sensitivity to loud noises and discomfort in crowds.
Call to Fight for America
Haley highlighted that such sacrifices are made ‘because they still believe in this amazing experiment that is America.’ She concluded her speech by urging, “If they’re willing to sacrifice for us, shouldn’t we be willing to fight for America here? Because we have a country to save.”
Early Wins Boost Trump
After decisive wins in four early presidential nominating contests, Donald Trump’s confidence as the GOP front-runner has soared. Trump’s campaign team is increasingly convinced that he will secure the necessary delegates by mid-March to emerge as the presumptive Republican nominee, well ahead of the GOP national convention in July
Victory in Nevada
Trump’s recent visit to South Carolina followed a hectic travel schedule, including a victorious appearance in Nevada’s GOP caucuses and a warmly received speech at a National Rifle Association forum in Pennsylvania.
Biden’s Memory and Age
Thursday brought additional boosts for Trump, with a special counsel report on President Joe Biden providing new ammunition for his campaign. The report, while not recommending charges against Biden, criticized his handling of classified documents and raised questions about his memory and age.
Continuing the Fight
Nikki Haley remains resolute in her decision to continue campaigning beyond South Carolina’s February 24 primary, leveraging her strong fundraising abilities.
However, Donald Trump and his campaign team are eyeing the Palmetto State primary as the battleground where they plan to decisively defeat Haley, their most prominent remaining opponent.
Dominant in Surveys
Trump’s confidence is partly fueled by Trump’s dominant performance in both internal and public polls, where he consistently outpaces Haley at national and state levels.
Laid-Back Approach
This optimistic outlook has led Trump’s campaign to adopt a more relaxed strategy for the South Carolina primary, in stark contrast to their vigorous ground efforts and vote mobilization tactics in earlier primaries.
Quiet Campaign
Notably, Trump’s activities in South Carolina have been relatively modest, especially compared to the exhaustive campaigning and heavy advertising expenditures seen in the run-ups to the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary.
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