Current:Home > MyNikki Haley endorses Trump in show of unity at RNC-InfoLens
Nikki Haley endorses Trump in show of unity at RNC
View Date:2024-12-23 11:31:38
Washington — Nikki Haley endorsed former President Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention on Tuesday as the party tries to spread the message of unity and court voters beyond his base.
"I'll start by making one thing perfectly clear," she said. "Donald Trump has my strong endorsement."
Haley, who served as U.N. ambassador under Trump and is the former governor of South Carolina, was not originally expected to be at the convention. Her spokesperson said last week that she had not been invited. Ahead of the convention Haley released her delegates and encouraged them to vote for Trump.
When Haley dropped out of the primary race against Trump in March, she declined to endorse him, saying he needed to earn the votes of the people who did not support him. In May, she said she would vote for him, despite her intense criticism of him throughout the campaign.
On Tuesday, she said Trump asked her to speak at the convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, "in the name of unity."
"It was a gracious invitation, and I was happy to accept it," she said.
Seeking to bring voters into the Republican Party, she said the party must acknowledge that there are Americans who don't always agree with the former president.
"My message to them is simple. You don't have to agree with Trump 100% of the time to vote for him. Take it from me," Haley said.
Haley said the U.S. is at a critical moment and for the country's sake, "we have to go with Donald Trump." She praised his national security policies and said he "appreciated advice and input."
"Americans were well served by his presidency, even if they didn't agree with them on all things," she said. "Now to my fellow Republicans, we must not only be a unified party, we must also expand our party. We are so much better when we are bigger. We are stronger when we welcome people into our party who have different backgrounds and experiences."
Republicans are trying to take advantage of a groundswell of support during the convention, which comes on the heels of an assassination attempt against Trump on Saturday.
Trump arrived in the convention arena shortly before the speeches of Haley and some of his other former rivals, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
- In:
- Republican National Convention
- Donald Trump
- Nikki Haley
- 2024 Elections
Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter at CBSNews.com, based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked for the Washington Examiner and The Hill, and was a member of the 2022 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Foundation.
TwitterveryGood! (657)
Related
- Ben Foster Files for Divorce From Laura Prepon After 6 Years of Marriage
- Quentin Tarantino's 'Pulp' players: A guide to the actors who make his 'Fiction' iconic
- Blue Jackets, mourning death of Johnny Gaudreau, will pay tribute at home opener
- Quentin Tarantino's 'Pulp' players: A guide to the actors who make his 'Fiction' iconic
- Don't Miss This Sweet Moment Between Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's Dads at the Kansas City Chiefs Game
- My Skin Hasn’t Been This Soft Since I Was Born: The Exfoliating Foam That Changed Everything
- Surfer Bethany Hamilton Shares Update After 3-Year-Old Nephew's Drowning Incident
- Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty even WNBA Finals 1-1 after downing Minnesota Lynx
- Let Demi Moore’s Iconic Fashion Give You More Inspiration
- Republican lawsuits target rules for overseas voters, but those ballots are already sent
Ranking
- Sports are a must-have for many girls who grow up to be leaders
- Striking photos show stunning, once-in-a-lifetime comet soaring over US
- Texas driver is killed and two deputies are wounded during Missouri traffic stop
- Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty even WNBA Finals 1-1 after downing Minnesota Lynx
- Rachael Ray Details Getting Bashed Over Decision to Not Have Kids
- Jamie Foxx Shares Emotional Photos From His Return to the Stage After Health Scare
- Concerns for playoff contenders lead college football Week 7 overreactions
- Head and hands found in Colorado freezer identified as girl missing since 2005
Recommendation
-
Will Trump’s hush money conviction stand? A judge will rule on the president-elect’s immunity claim
-
Inside LSU football's wild comeback that will change Brian Kelly's tenure (Or maybe not.)
-
Trump tested the limits on using the military at home. If elected again, he plans to go further
-
‘Legacy’ Forests. ‘Restoration’ Logging. The New Jargon of Conservation Is Awash in Ambiguity. And Politics
-
Michelle Obama Is Diving Back into the Dating World—But It’s Not What You Think
-
Travis Hunter injury update: Colorado star left K-State game with apparent shoulder injury
-
Week 6 fantasy football rankings: PPR, half-PPR and standard leagues
-
Marvin Harrison Jr. injury update: Cardinals WR exits game with concussion vs. Packers