Former Donald Trump questioned on Saturday why Nikki Haley's husband did not run for the campaign, prompting a sharp response from the former U.N. ambassador and her husband, who is currently on a National Guard mission abroad.
What happened to her husband? Trump told a crowd in Conway, South Carolina, that he and Haley were holding a statewide event ahead of the Feb. 24 Republican primary. "He's a**? He's gone. He knows. He knows.
Haley responded in an article on X: "Michael was sent to serve our country, and you don't know anything about it.
This is the latest example of Trump disparaging his opponents based on their U.S. military service, dating back to his questioning of whether the late Senator John McCain, a prisoner of war in Vietnam, was a hero because Trump liked "the man who was not captured." Throughout his political career, Trump has been accused of ignoring long-standing norms to avoid attacking people in current or past military or politician families.
Michael Haley began a year of service with the South Carolina Army National Guard in June. Haley was deployed as a staff officer for the 218th Mobile Reinforcement Brigade, which the National Guard says is providing support in the Horn of Africa.
Shortly after Trump's comments, Michael Haley posted a meme on his X account with a wolf and the text: "What is the difference between humans and animals? Animals never let the stupidest people take the lead. Nikki Haley's campaign confirmed that the account belonged to her husband.
Trump has said he avoided serving in the Vietnam War through student and medical deferrals. Mr. Trump's wife, Melania Trump, a former first lady, has been absent from the campaign trail and has not appeared with him in public campaigns since his announcement speech.
Haley pushed Trump to debate her as she tried to change the trajectory of the campaign after the former ** and heavyweight frontrunner won the top three major states. On Saturday night, she challenged him again on the campaign trail.
Donald, if you have something to say, don't say it behind my back. Get on the debate stage and say it in front of me," she told a crowd.
Haley's ** person also did not hesitate to respond to Saturday's comment.
When you start talking about veterans serving overseas, I don't care if you know them, and that should hurt your heart," said State Rep. Chris Wooton, who introduced Haley at the evening rally.
Hailey takes pride in her husband's service, adding that every military spouse knows that a military career is a "family sacrifice." As she has often done in her speeches over the past year, Haley recounted how her husband struggled adjusting to life after being deployed to Afghanistan. She said he couldn't stand the loud noises and he couldn't stand the crowds.
People like her husband make such sacrifices, she said, "because they still believe in this amazing experiment in the United States."
If they are willing to sacrifice for us, shouldn't we be willing to fight for America here? Because we have a country to save," Haley said at the end of her speech.