Nikki Haley, the former United Nations ambassador, has dismissed a series of personal attacks from ex-President Trump, suggesting that his actions indicate a sense of threat from her in the GOP primary.
During a CNN town hall, Haley was questioned about Trump's recent social media posts, where he propagated a conspiracy theory questioning her eligibility to run for president and referred to her by her birth name, Nimrata.
Haley, born to Indian parents in Bamberg, South Carolina, clarified her birthplace, thereby dispelling any uncertainties about her eligibility for the presidency. "And look, the name-calling, I know President Trump well. Thats what he does when he feels threatened. Thats what he does when he feels insecure, Haley stated. I dont take these things personally. It doesnt bother me. I know him very well. And this is what he does. I know that I am a threat. I know thats why hes doing that.
She further mentioned that she had no intentions of engaging in reciprocal name-calling with Trump. As the focus shifts towards the upcoming New Hampshire primary on Tuesday, Trump has intensified his attacks on Haley, who polls suggest is his closest competitor in the state. A Decision Desk HQ average of New Hampshire polls indicates a 10 percentage point lead for Trump over Haley.
In addition to criticizing Haley's stance on Social Security and immigration, Trump has also launched racially charged attacks against her. He has shared a birther conspiracy and referred to her as Nimrata and Nimbra in his social media posts, actions that critics argue are intended to highlight her Indian heritage.
Trump's political rise was partly fueled by his propagation of the false and racist assertion that then-President Obama was not born in the United States. During the 2016 GOP primary, he claimed that Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), one of his competitors at the time, was ineligible for the presidency due to his Canadian birth.
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