China News Service, February 14th, comprehensive foreign media reports, on the 14th local time, former US ambassador to the United Nations and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley (Nikki Haley) officially announced in a video that she will participate in the 2024 US presidential election.
Photo source: Screenshot from social media of former US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley.
"USA Today" stated that this announcement means that Haley has become the first important Republican to challenge Trump's Republican presidential nomination.
According to Reuters, Haley thus became Trump's first direct challenger in the Republican Party.
She will lay out her campaign plans in a speech in Charleston, South Carolina, on the 15th.
Haley, 51, reportedly said in the video, "I'm Nikki Haley, and I'm running for president." She also said, "It's (need) time for a new generation of leaders -- to reacquaint To be fiscally responsible, to protect our borders, to strengthen our country, to advance our pride and our purpose."
According to US media, Haley is the daughter of Indian immigrants and was born in Bamberg, South Carolina.
She opposes abortion and supports a crackdown on illegal immigration.
In 2010, Haley was elected governor of South Carolina, becoming the state's first female Asian-American governor, and won re-election in 2014.
She often cited her focus on economic development during her tenure, which has resulted in the state's lowest unemployment rate in 15 years.
In early 2016, Haley, then governor of South Carolina, expressed "embarrassment" about Trump running for president of the United States.
However, nine months later, she agreed to join the Trump administration and was once appointed by Trump as the US ambassador to the United Nations.
Since leaving the Trump administration in 2018, Haley has "maintained a delicate relationship" with Trump, praising Trump's policies and achievements during his tenure while making certain criticisms, thus attracting moderates in the Republican Party.
Shortly after Trump left the White House, Haley also said that if Trump participated in the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, she would never intervene, implying that she would not compete with Trump.
But two years later, Haley had a change of heart.
Data map: Former US President Trump and former ambassador to the United Nations Haley (right).
Regarding Haley's presidential bid, Trump revealed during campaign events in New Hampshire and South Carolina in January that Haley called him recently to tell her she was considering running for president, and he told her she should do so.
"I talked to her for a while and I said, 'Listen, you know, if you want to run, follow your heart,'" Trump said.
Carton Dawson, the former chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party who supported Haley, estimates that Trump has the firm support of about a third of Republican voters.
Haley still has a chance to win over other Republicans, though.
"USA Today" noted that Haley has repeatedly stated that she "never lost a campaign."
Bloomberg also stated that in November 2022, Haley said in a speech at the Republican Jewish League conference, "I have won difficult elections. Every time I am an underdog. It is always funny when people underestimate me. But I've never lost an election, and I'm not losing it now."
The Associated Press also analyzed that Haley's public challenge to Trump this time just explained the "worries about Trump's leadership" in the Republican Party, believing that he is "losing political power."
Currently, other Republicans who may be considering the White House include former Vice President Mike Pence, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, former Maryland Governor Ray Hogan, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott.