Vote for Nikki

Trump hits Nikki Haley over primaries when asked about campaign deployment

“I beat her in her own state by numbers that nobody’s ever been beaten by. I beat Nikki badly,” the former president said.

Emmy Martin

Donald Trump stressed that he “beat Nikki [Haley] badly” during the Republican presidential primaries during a “Fox & Friends” interview Friday morning, while also adding that his former rival is “helping” his presidential campaign.

“I'll do what I have to do,” Trump said when asked if he would call on Haley to join the campaign trail, going on to emphasize, “Nikki Haley and I fought, and I beat her by 50, 60, 90 points. I beat her in her own state by numbers that nobody’s ever been beaten by. I beat Nikki badly.”

“And then they say, ‘Oh when is Nikki coming back in?’ Nikki is in. Nikki is helping us already,” the former president added. He also pointed to billionaire Elon Musk's recent help with his campaign.

The Bulwark reported Thursday that Haley “is in talks to join [Trump] on the campaign trail in an attempt to win over disaffected Republicans.” Trump didn’t specify on Fox whether Haley “helping” means a future campaign trail appearance, or the endorsement she’s already given him.

“They keep talking about Nikki, Nikki. I like Nikki,” he said. “Nikki, I don’t think, should have done what she did, and that’s fine that she did it.”

Haley, who was one of Trump’s fiercest rivals during the primaries and whom he repeatedly called “bird brain,” said early last month that she is “on standby” and “ready” to help the former president with his campaign.

The former U.N. ambassador gave Trump a full-throated endorsement during her Republican National Convention speech in July, while also admitting she hasn’t “always agreed with” him.

In September, Haley said in an interview that “if I thought Biden or Trump were great candidates, I wouldn’t have run for president.”