The Hidden Message in Nikki Haley's ‘Strong Endorsement’ of Trump
"You don't have to agree with Trump 100 percent of the time to vote for him," she said.
TroibNews 
MILWAUKEE — Nikki Haley utilized a prime-time speech at the Republican National Convention to offer a robust endorsement of Donald Trump and urge his remaining skeptics to vote for him in November, demonstrating party solidarity just days after the assassination attempt on the former president.
“President Trump asked me to speak at this convention in the name of unity. It was a gracious invitation, and I was happy to accept,” Haley stated on Tuesday night.
She embraced her role.
Haley urged Republicans to set aside their differences and unite behind their nominee. She emphasized the need for a cohesive party to "save" the country and criticized President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, particularly focusing on Harris as Biden faces increasing calls to step away from the Democratic ticket.
“You don’t have to agree with Trump 100 percent of the time to vote for him. Take it from me,” Haley noted. “I haven’t always agreed with President Trump. But we agree more often than we disagree. We agree on keeping America strong. We agree on keeping America safe. And we agree that Democrats have moved so far to the left that they’re putting our freedoms in danger.”
Haley's enthusiastic support of Trump on such a significant platform hastened a slow reconciliation between the former rivals for the GOP nomination since she exited the race in March.
Trump, with a bandage on his right ear, observed Haley's speech from a box alongside several of his children, his running mate Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who once served as his press secretary. He remained mostly composed during her remarks, laughing at mentions of their disagreements and applauding calls for party unity.
However, Haley, who had cautioned Trump post-campaign suspension that her voters would need convincing, expressed doubts about whether his MAGA base could achieve that.
“To my fellow Republicans: We must not only be a unified party, we must also expand our party," said Haley. "We are so much better when we are bigger. We are stronger when we welcome people into our party who have different backgrounds and experiences. And right now we need to be strong to save America.”
Her message did not resonate with all MAGA supporters in the arena. While many attendees stood and applauded as she took the stage, some light boos echoed through Fiserv Forum.
“Too little, too late,” a member of the Illinois delegation remarked. A convention official responded with, “no boos,” while Haley spoke.
Initially, Haley was not slated to speak at the convention, despite releasing her delegates and encouraging them to support Trump. Trump had not publicly reached out to her supporters since her campaign ended.
However, Trump's team adjusted plans a few days before the convention. Haley was added to the schedule the same day a gunman attacked Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania — resulting in one death, two severe injuries, and leaving Trump wounded but safe. She delivered her speech just before Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, another former rival.
Haley's relationship with Trump has been complex. She supported Florida Sen. Marco Rubio in the 2016 GOP primary but later served as Trump's ambassador to the United Nations. Initially promising not to run against Trump if he sought a second term, she eventually launched a campaign against him. Initially minimizing her critiques, the hostility between them grew as the field narrowed, culminating in Haley criticizing Trump as a “bully” and Trump calling her “Birdbrain” and a “bad candidate.”
After withdrawing following Super Tuesday and refusing to endorse Trump, stating he needed to "earn the votes" of undecided Republicans and independents, she later committed to voting for him, deeming Biden a “catastrophe.”
Some Haley supporters had hoped Trump might make her his running mate to heal party divisions and appeal to key voter demographics, but Trump ultimately chose Vance.
Haley’s nationwide supporters watched her speech closely for guidance on whether to back the Republican ticket.
“I think she proved we agree on more than we don’t,” said Kimberly Rice, former New Hampshire House speaker pro tem and Haley campaign co-chair. “I definitely think she sold it.”
Others watched simply because they were present.
Kelley Koch, chair of the Republican Party of Dallas County, Iowa, criticized Haley’s speech as merely strategic for her career but disapproved of the boos from some in the crowd.
“Didn’t like that,” Koch commented. “We need unity.”
Sophie Wagner contributed to this report for TROIB News
“President Trump asked me to speak at this convention in the name of unity. It was a gracious invitation, and I was happy to accept,” Haley stated on Tuesday night.
She embraced her role.
Haley urged Republicans to set aside their differences and unite behind their nominee. She emphasized the need for a cohesive party to "save" the country and criticized President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, particularly focusing on Harris as Biden faces increasing calls to step away from the Democratic ticket.
“You don’t have to agree with Trump 100 percent of the time to vote for him. Take it from me,” Haley noted. “I haven’t always agreed with President Trump. But we agree more often than we disagree. We agree on keeping America strong. We agree on keeping America safe. And we agree that Democrats have moved so far to the left that they’re putting our freedoms in danger.”
Haley's enthusiastic support of Trump on such a significant platform hastened a slow reconciliation between the former rivals for the GOP nomination since she exited the race in March.
Trump, with a bandage on his right ear, observed Haley's speech from a box alongside several of his children, his running mate Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who once served as his press secretary. He remained mostly composed during her remarks, laughing at mentions of their disagreements and applauding calls for party unity.
However, Haley, who had cautioned Trump post-campaign suspension that her voters would need convincing, expressed doubts about whether his MAGA base could achieve that.
“To my fellow Republicans: We must not only be a unified party, we must also expand our party," said Haley. "We are so much better when we are bigger. We are stronger when we welcome people into our party who have different backgrounds and experiences. And right now we need to be strong to save America.”
Her message did not resonate with all MAGA supporters in the arena. While many attendees stood and applauded as she took the stage, some light boos echoed through Fiserv Forum.
“Too little, too late,” a member of the Illinois delegation remarked. A convention official responded with, “no boos,” while Haley spoke.
Initially, Haley was not slated to speak at the convention, despite releasing her delegates and encouraging them to support Trump. Trump had not publicly reached out to her supporters since her campaign ended.
However, Trump's team adjusted plans a few days before the convention. Haley was added to the schedule the same day a gunman attacked Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania — resulting in one death, two severe injuries, and leaving Trump wounded but safe. She delivered her speech just before Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, another former rival.
Haley's relationship with Trump has been complex. She supported Florida Sen. Marco Rubio in the 2016 GOP primary but later served as Trump's ambassador to the United Nations. Initially promising not to run against Trump if he sought a second term, she eventually launched a campaign against him. Initially minimizing her critiques, the hostility between them grew as the field narrowed, culminating in Haley criticizing Trump as a “bully” and Trump calling her “Birdbrain” and a “bad candidate.”
After withdrawing following Super Tuesday and refusing to endorse Trump, stating he needed to "earn the votes" of undecided Republicans and independents, she later committed to voting for him, deeming Biden a “catastrophe.”
Some Haley supporters had hoped Trump might make her his running mate to heal party divisions and appeal to key voter demographics, but Trump ultimately chose Vance.
Haley’s nationwide supporters watched her speech closely for guidance on whether to back the Republican ticket.
“I think she proved we agree on more than we don’t,” said Kimberly Rice, former New Hampshire House speaker pro tem and Haley campaign co-chair. “I definitely think she sold it.”
Others watched simply because they were present.
Kelley Koch, chair of the Republican Party of Dallas County, Iowa, criticized Haley’s speech as merely strategic for her career but disapproved of the boos from some in the crowd.
“Didn’t like that,” Koch commented. “We need unity.”
Sophie Wagner contributed to this report for TROIB News
