Despite her past criticisms of GOP rival Donald Trump, including that he was “dangerous” for the country, former presidential hopeful Nikki Haley said in an upcoming interview with “Face the Nation” that she stands by her support for him in the 2024 presidential race.
In an interview set to air Sunday on CBS, Haley sat down with host Margaret Brennan and admitted that she would never have run her own race for president if she thought Trump was a “great” candidate, but that he still has her vote because he is the Republican nominee.
In a preview clip shared on Friday, Brennan brings attention to Trump’s press conference largely centered on his guilty verdict in the E. Jean Carroll defamation trial in spring 2023. In one instance Friday, he argued he could not have groped one accuser, Jessica Leeds, because she “would not have been the chosen one” — as in, he didn’t personally find her attractive.
“Donald Trump just finished a press conference, three quarters of which was about grievances related to that past conviction related to alleged sexual assault,” Brennan says in the clip. “I’m not asking you about the specifics of the case, but if that’s the focus of a press conference for a presidential candidate, A) is it the best use of his time, and what is the message to female voters to be going through this again?”
Haley then redirected the conversation to say, “I think the focus for me is on policy.”
Watch the clip below:
“I’ve always said, ‘Look, if I thought [Joe] Biden or Trump were great candidates, I wouldn’t have run for president,’” Haley said. “I ran because I thought I could do a better job.” Haley, who also served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, dropped out of the race in March.
A visibly surprised Brennan followed up with, “You don’t think he’s a good candidate?”
Haley answered, “I think he’s the Republican nominee. And I think putting him against Kamala Harris, who is the Democrat nominee — for me, it’s not a question. Now, do I agree with his style, do I agree with his approach, do I agree with his communications? No.”
She continued, “When I look at the policies and how they affect my family, and how I think they’re going to affect the country, that’s where I go back and I look at the differences.”
Haley added, “I mean, these are the candidates we have been given.”
According to CBS News, Haley also said in the interview that she hasn’t been asked to campaign for Trump, but remains “on standby.”
“You know, he knows I’m on standby,” she said. “I talked to him back in June. He’s aware that I’m ready if he ever needs me to do that.”
She added that she’s not advising Trump ahead of his first debate with Vice President Kamala Harris approaching Tuesday, but would be “happy to be helpful.”