In a recent turn of events, GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley has hinted that she no longer feels obligated by the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) pledge to support the party’s eventual nominee. Haley stated that she reserves the right to make her own decision when it comes to endorsing Donald Trump, should he secure the nomination.
“At the time of the debate, the question was ‘Would you support the nominee?’ To get on that debate stage, we had to say yes,” Haley, the former South Carolina governor, explained during an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” aired on Sunday. She added, “The RNC is now not the same RNC.”
The RNC had previously mandated that presidential candidates sign a pledge committing to support the eventual GOP nominee as part of the criteria to appear on the GOP primary debate stage. When asked by NBC host Kristen Welker if she still felt bound by that pledge, Haley responded, “No, I think I’ll make the decision I want to make, but that’s not something I’m thinking about.”
When pressed for clarity on whether she was leaning against endorsing Trump, Haley maintained, “I truly am not thinking about any of that.”
Haley’s Campaign Amid Super Tuesday States
Haley’s comments come as she continues her campaign through the Super Tuesday states. Despite questions about her path forward in the face of Trump’s dominance in the nominating contests so far this year, she has pledged to remain in the Republican race at least through Tuesday.
Haley reiterated her belief to NBC that neither Trump nor Joe Biden should be president, but she emphasized that her candidacy does not represent a “Never Trump” movement. “If you talk about an endorsement, you’re talking about a loss. I don’t think like that when you’re in a race. You think about continuing to go forward,” she said.
Trump’s Influence on the RNC
As Trump edges closer to the Republican nomination, he is reportedly looking to reshape the structure of the RNC to better suit his desires for the general election and beyond, according to a previous report by CNN.
Haley’s Criticism of Trump
In recent weeks, Haley has intensified her criticism of the former president, who won more delegates from caucuses in Missouri and Idaho and from a party convention in Michigan on Saturday. Despite her criticism of Trump, under whom she served as US ambassador to the United Nations, Haley emphasized in a CNN interview on Friday that she was not “anti-Trump”.
“The goal was always to get this one-on-one with Trump. What you’re hearing me say now is a contrast. That’s what people want,” Haley said. “They want to know the differences. What I’m saying is that I am not anti-Trump. I am for America, and the direction America can go.”