Trump gloats over Nikki Haley dropping out post-Super Tuesday: ‘Got TROUNCED last night’
Donald Trump reveled Wednesday at the news that his last Republican rival was suspending her campaign and took some parting shots at former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley on the heels of her Super Tuesday drubbing.
“Nikki Haley got TROUNCED last night, in record setting fashion, despite the fact that Democrats, for reasons unknown, are allowed to vote in Vermont, and various other Republican Primaries,” the 77-year-old ranted on Truth Social minutes before Haley officially bowed out.
Haley, 52, scored just two primary wins against the former president, in Washington, DC, and Vermont, making her the first woman to win a Republican presidential nominating contest.
Trump now has 995 of the 1,215 delegates needed to secure the party nod compared to Haley’s 89. His team expects to officially cross the 1,215 threshold later this month.
“At this point, I hope she stays in the ‘race’ and fights it out until end! I’d like thank my family, friends, and the Great Republican Party for helping me to produce, by far, the most successful Super Tuesday in HISTORY,” Trump went on before needling Haley further by saying that “much of her money came from Radical Left Democrats, as did many of her voters.”
The 45th president then extended an olive branch to Haley’s supporters, with polls indicating that many of them harbor some significant acrimony toward him.
“[I] would further like to invite all of the Haley supporters to join the greatest movement in the history of our Nation,” he wrote.
President Biden, in sharp contrast to Trump, congratulated Haley on her campaign and invited her backers to get behind his re-election bid.
“Donald Trump made it clear he doesn’t want Nikki Haley’s supporters. I want to be clear: There is a place for them in my campaign,” Biden said in a statement.
In a terse exit speech, Haley said she had “no regret” about running and declined to endorse her rival right away.
“In all likelihood, Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee when our party convention meets in July. I congratulate him and wish him well. I wish anyone well who would be America’s president,” she said.
“It is now up to Donald Trump to earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it who did not support him and I hope he does that,” she continued. “At its best politics is about bringing people into your cause, not turning them away.”
Almost all of the other former 2024 Republican presidential contenders, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), have thrown their weight behind Trump.
By contrast, Haley — along with former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence — have not.
Trump is now pivoting to his near-certain general election rematch with Biden.
“BIDEN IS THE ENEMY, HE IS DESTROYING OUR COUNTRY. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!” Trump declared in his Wednesday morning message.
During a victory speech out of Mar-a-Lago Tuesday evening, Trump made no mention of Haley and pined for unity.
“[Success], that’s what’s ultimately going to unify this country and unify this party,” he said.
“We have a great Republican Party with tremendous talent. And we want to have unity, and we’re going to have unity, and it’s going to happen very quickly.”
