In a late-night announcement on Wednesday, former President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to his supporters, stating that any individual who financially supports Nikki Haley, his former ambassador to the United Nations, will be "permanently barred from the MAGA camp."
Trump, 77, expressed his displeasure on Truth Social, referring to Haley by his chosen derogatory moniker, "Birdbrain."
"We dont want them, and will not accept them, because we Put America First, and ALWAYS WILL!" Trump declared. His criticism of Haley, 52, has intensified recently, seemingly provoked by her refusal to withdraw following his significant victory in the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday.
Despite trailing by over 30 percentage points in the latest RealClearPolitics aggregate in her home state of South Carolina, Haley remains determined to continue her campaign. In response, the Trump campaign has publicized endorsements from over 150 current and former South Carolina officials, including the state governor and both Republican senators.
Trump further criticized Haley's abilities, stating, "I knew Nikki well, she was average at best, is not the one to take on World Leaders, and she never did. That was up to me." He also noted a shift in donor behavior, observing that the losing candidate's donors would often switch their support to him.
In defiance of Trump's warning, Haley urged her supporters to continue their financial contributions to her campaign. This call was echoed by several of Trump's critics, including conservative lawyer Heath Mayo and National Review writer Dan McLaughlin, who both publicly announced their donations to Haley's campaign.
Mayo encouraged others to follow suit, stating, "I just donated to Nikki Haley. You should, tooand so should your family. Proud to be permanently barred from Trumpism. Feels nice. Try it!" McLaughlin, who initially supported Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the primary, added, "Just convinced me to donate to Haley."
Haley's campaign reported a significant financial boost, announcing that it had raised $1 million in the 24 hours following her speech to supporters in New Hampshire on Tuesday night. Haley remained optimistic about her campaign's future, stating, "New Hampshire is first in the nation. It is not the last in the nation. This race is far from over. There are dozens of states left to go."
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