In a recent interview on CNN's "State of the Union," Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, 52, clarified her stance on the issue of state secession, stating that it is not constitutionally permissible.
This statement comes as a reversal of her previous comments on the "Breakfast Club" radio show, where she seemed to suggest that Texas could potentially secede if it so chose.
"No, according to the Constitution, they can't," Haley stated firmly on the CNN program. This contradicted her earlier remarks to Charlamagne Tha God, the host of the "Breakfast Club," where she said, "If that whole state says, 'We don't want to be part of America anymore,' I mean, that's their decision to make."
However, Haley was quick to dismiss the idea of Texas secession as unrealistic. "Let's talk about what's reality. Texas isn't going to secede," she added.
Haley claimed her previous comments were misunderstood, explaining, "What I said is when government stops listening, let's remember states' rights matter. You have to be as close to the people as possible. No one is talking about seceding. That's not an issue at all."
She referenced Texas Governor Greg Abbott's recent declaration that the right of the Lone Star State to defend itself is the supreme law of the land. Abbott has pledged to continue deploying state resources and razor wire along the US-Mexico border, a move he justifies as a response to the federal government's failure to prevent an invasion.
"Texans are frustrated, and rightfully so," Haley said. "Governor Abbott's frustrated, and rightfully so. When have you ever seen a president not support a governor when they're trying to keep their people safe? It's a real problem."
Haley has previously stirred controversy when she failed to acknowledge slavery as a cause of the Civil War, a misstep that forced her to later clarify, "Of course, the Civil War was about slavery."
Haley, who served as governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017, hails from the first state to secede in 1860 following President Abraham Lincoln's victory. While the Constitution does not directly address secession, the Supreme Court ruled in 1869 in Texas v. White that states cannot unilaterally secede.
As the last-standing heavyweight rival to GOP frontrunner and former President Donald Trump, Haley is banking on a strong performance in her home state of South Carolina on February 24.
"Why are we doing this? Why are we allowing ourselves to have two 80-year-olds, who can't serve eight years, who both are diminished, whether it's in their character or in their mental capacity," Haley questioned on CNN.
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