Former U.S. envoy to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, has said those looking to convict her former boss Donald Trump of incitement leading to the Capitol riots should "give the man a break."
Speculation is mounting over whether Haley, a former South Carolina governor, is looking to make a presidential bid in 2024. Earlier this month, she announced her new political action committee called Stand For America, which aims to make GOP gains in the House and the Senate in 2022.
On Monday, Haley told Fox News that while she was "proud of the successes of the Trump administration," she did not agree with Trump's challenge of the election result and that the riots on January 6 linked to five deaths took place on "a tough day."
Nikki Haley: I don’t even think there’s a basis for impeachment... Now they’re going to turn around and bring about impeachment yet they say they’re for unity... I mean at some point I mean give the man a break. I mean move on... pic.twitter.com/IqnZrIDIY0
— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) January 26, 2021
Did Nikki Haley "move on" from Hillary's emails or Benghazi???
— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) January 26, 2021
Let me know.
According to Nikki Haley, Trump's been "beaten up" continually, by the Dems and the media.This notion of Trump, as an innocent victim and an underdog, excuses his crimes and bigotry. His opposition didn't invent Trump: they exposed him. He's not a hurting child, he's a sociopath
— Paul Rudnick (@PaulRudnickNY) January 26, 2021
"Honestly, the actions the president had since Election Day were not his finest," she said. "The actions of the president post-Election Day were not great. What happened on January 6 was not great."
On January 13, the House voted to impeach Trump for inciting an insurrection against the federal government at the Capitol. Conviction would require a two-thirds majority in the Senate and much depends on what Minority Leader Mitch McConnell would do, having reportedly suggested that he would keep an open mind during the trial.
Utah senator, Mitt Romney, the only GOP lawmaker who voted to convict in Trump's first impeachment trial, has indicated that he would do so again.
However, Haley did not think the president deserved to be impeached, let alone convicted. "The idea that they are bringing this up—they didn't even have a hearing in the House. Now they are going to turn around and bring about impeachment, yet they say they are for unity," she said.
"They beat him up before he got into office. They are beating him up after he leaves office. I mean, at some point, I mean, give the man a break. I mean, move on.
"If you are truly about moving on, move on. The idea they are going to do impeachment, that's not going to bring our country together, that's only dividing our country."
Haley then avoided answering a question about whether she would run in 2024, by replying, "Nobody wants to think about another presidential election."
People took to Twitter to criticize Haley's comments. "Did Nikki Haley "move on" from Hillary's emails or Benghazi???" tweeted author and playwright, Wajahat Ali.
The writer Paul Rudnick tweeted: "This notion of Trump, as an innocent victim and an underdog, excuses his crimes and bigotry." Meanwhile, former congressman Joe Walsh tweeted to his 273,000 followers: "Per Nikki, Trump is the real victim here. The Republican Party is just not salvageable."
