Nikki Haley blasts Trump over threats to blacklist her donors

As former President Donald Trump threatened to blacklist anyone who donates to defiant Indian American rival Nikki Haley’s presidential campaign, she blasted his New Hampshire victory speech, as “a temper tantrum.”

At a campaign event in North Charleston, South Carolina, Wednesday night, after losing to Trump in the first-in-the-nation primary on Tuesday, a confident looking Haley blasted her former boss’ rhetoric, according to the Hill.

“We were very excited last night because we saw that we had gone up 25 points in a month. And we were thrilled,” Haley was quoted as saying.

READ: Nikki Haley vows to fight on after New Hampshire defeat (January 24, 2024)

“So we got out there and we did our thing and we said what we had to say. And then Donald Trump got out there and just threw a temper tantrum.”

“He pitched a fit, he was — he was insulting, he was doing what he does, but I know that’s what he does when he’s insecure,” she continued. “I know that’s what he does when he is threatened. And he should feel threatened without a doubt.”

Haley also challenged Trump, who did not participate in any Republican primary debates, to debate her as she is his only major remaining challenger in the Republican race.

READ: Nikki Haley calls Trump and Biden “equally bad” for the nation(January 22, 2024)

“Bring it Donald, show me what you got,” said Haley, the first Indian American to get a cabinet rank as the US ambassador to the United Nations.

Haley who hopes to make a strong showing in her home state of South Carolina next month, revealed that her campaign has raised more than $1 million after her loss in New Hampshire.

Meanwhile, Trump who leads Haley by about 33 percentage points threatened Wednesday that anyone who makes a contribution to the Haley campaign “from this moment forth, will be permanently barred from the MAGA camp.”

“We don’t want them, and will not accept them,” he wrote on Truth Social without specifying whether the warning extended to any donations given to a pro-Haley political action committee.

Haley responded with a post to X inviting people to donate to her candidacy.

“Well in that case…donate here. Let’s Go!” Haley wrote alongside a link to a fundraising site.

Sarah Matthews, an ex-staffer of Trump donated to Haley’s campaign despite Trump’s warning against doing so.

Haley calls Trump ‘threatened’ and ‘insecure’ over ‘birther’ claims (January 19, 2024)

“Done,” Matthews wrote on X alongside a link to donate to the former South Carolina governor’s campaign. “Join me in donating to @NikkiHaley here.”

Her pledge follows Trump’s push to bar Haley donors from joining “the MAGA camp,” a movement centered on his 2016 campaign slogan “Make America Great Again.”

“When I ran for Office and won, I noticed that the losing Candidate’s ‘Donors’ would immediately come to me, and want to ‘help out.’ This is standard in Politics, but no longer with me,” Trump wrote Wednesday.

“Anybody that makes a ‘Contribution’ to Birdbrain, from this moment forth, will be permanently barred from the MAGA camp,” he added, using his nickname for Haley.

“We don’t want them, and will not accept them, because we Put America First, and ALWAYS WILL!”

Matthews served in the White House from June 2020 to Jan. 2021, before resigning over the Jan 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

She has since been critical of the former president, suggesting that she may back President Joe Biden in the general election if Trump is the Republican nominee to “put policy aside and choose democracy.”

Matthews was also one of the former White House staff members who testified to the House select committee investigating the insurrection.

Trump also took aim at Kayleigh McEnany, who served as press secretary under the Trump administration, for attempting to offer him advice on how to unite the Republican Party earlier this week.

“I don’t need any advice from RINO Kayleigh McEnany on Fox,” he said on Truth Social. “Just had a GIANT VICTORY over a badly failing candidate, ‘Birdbrain,’ and she’s telling me what I can do better.”

“Save your advice for Nikki!” he added.