Former Florida Governor Nikki Haley hit back at former President Donald Trump after he questioned the whereabouts of her husband, who is presently on active duty deployment.
Major Michael Haley, the spouse of Haley, is a commissioned officer in the South Carolina National Guard. He is deployed for a year with the 218th Maneuver Enhancement Bridge, offering assistance in the Horn of Africa since last June.
“Where’s her husband? Oh, he’s away. He’s away,” Trump mockingly asked during his South Carolina rally as if to suggest that their marriage isn’t working and that’s why he hasn’t accompanied her on the campaign trail.
“What happened to her husband? What happened to her husband? Where is he? He’s gone. He knew. He knew.”
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Trump’s remarks draw sharp reaction from Haley & her husband
Haley, the only candidate against Trump in the GOP’s nomination race, lambasted Trump for his remarks at a separate rally in Gilbert, South Carolina.
“I need to start with the fact that Donald Trump had a rally today, and in that rally, he mocked my husband’s military service,” she stated.
“I have long talked about the fact that we need to have mental competency tests for anyone over the age of 75. Donald Trump claims that he would pass that — maybe he would, maybe he wouldn’t. But 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.”
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Haley reiterated her criticism of Trump on X (formerly Twitter), adding: “Michael is deployed serving our country, something you know nothing about. Someone who continually disrespects the sacrifices of military families has no business being commander in chief.”
Earlier, the ex-UN ambassador declared that her husband’s service is something she is “so proud” of, even making light of the fact that his deployment coincides with “really interesting times.”
In a rare move, Michael Haley shot back at Trump by tagging the Republican frontrunner and some news outlets. He shared a wolf-themed meme with the caption, “The difference between humans and animals? Animals would never allow the dumbest ones to lead the pack.”
Biden slams Trump for mocking Haley’s husband
US President Joe Biden also fired back at his predecessor Trump for taking a jibe at Haley’s husband. Biden stated that Trump believes the American troops are ‘suckers’ and added, “this guy wouldn’t know service to his country if it slapped him in the face.”
“The answer is that Major Haley is abroad, serving his country right now. We know he thinks our troops are “suckers,” but this guy wouldn’t know service to his country if it slapped him in the face,” Biden wrote on X.
Former top staff members have accused Trump of making derogatory remarks about veterans and service members in private. John Kelly, a former chief of staff, confirmed rumors that he referred to deceased servicemen in private as “losers” and “suckers.”
Trump has vehemently refuted the claim, declaring, “I would be willing to swear on anything that I never said that about our fallen heroes. There’s nobody that respects them more.”
The war of words between the two GOP leaders comes as Haley’s reluctance to withdraw from the 2024 Republican presidential contest has agitated Trump, considering his resounding wins and overwhelming lead in the polls.