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Nikki Haley questions Donald Trump’s mental fitness after he confuses her with Nancy Pelosi
Haley plans several campaign stops in New Hampshire in last days before primary
Updated: 4:36 PM EST Jan 20, 2024
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley celebrated her birthday Saturday on the campaign trail in New Hampshire, where she made her final push before the first-in-the-nation primary.Haley addressed several issues at the Keene Country Club, including immigration, Social Security and veterans’ health care.On stage and in an interview with News 9, Haley said she was concerned about former President Donald Trump’s mental fitness when she heard that he confused her name with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s during a rally Friday night in Concord.”By the way, they never report the crowd on Jan. 6. You know, Nikki Haley, Nikki Haley, Nikki Haley,” Trump said during the rally. “Did you know they destroyed all of the information, all of the evidence, everything? Deleted and destroyed all of it. All of it because of lots of things. Like, Nikki Haley was in charge of security. We offered her 10,000 people, soldiers, National Guard – whatever they want. They turned it down.”Trump has made unsupported claims before that evidence was destroyed about the Jan. 6 attacks. Although he kept saying Haley’s name, he appeared to be referring to Pelosi and his claims that she neglected security on that day. The decision whether to call National Guard troops to the Capitol is made by the Capitol Police Board, not the speaker of the House.>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play <<Haley referenced Trump's mistake when speaking to the crowd in Keene."The concern I have is – I'm not saying anything derogatory – but when you’re dealing with the pressures of a presidency, we can’t have someone else that we question whether they're mentally fit to do it," she said.Haley also reiterated her goal of finishing stronger in New Hampshire than she did in Iowa, where she came in third place to Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis."We wanted to be strong in Iowa," she said. "We did that. We want to be stronger in New Hampshire, and then we want to be even stronger than that in South Carolina, and so the focus and the energy that we feel on the ground is good."Haley said this election is about moving forward."This is not about looking at the past. This is about looking at the future," she said. "We can do this, and we need to do this for the sake of our kids and for the sake of where we go as a country."She said she's someone who can get things done in the White House."I'm an accountant, and I think we need that now more than ever in the White House," she said. "I've been a two-term governor that took a double-digit unemployment state and turned it into an economic powerhouse. I was at the United Nations and dealt with Russia, China and Iran every day. I know what it means to put them on their heels."Haley had several stops scheduled Saturday, including at Peterborough Town Hall, Franklin Pierce University in Rindge and Nashua, where she will hold a rally to wrap up her birthday on the campaign trail.Also on Saturday, former Republican presidential candidate Asa Hutchinson, who dropped out of the race following a poor performance in Iowa, endorsed Haley. On X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, Hutchinson continued his criticisms of Trump."Anyone who believes Donald Trump will unite this country has been asleep over the last 8 years. Trump intentionally tries to divide America and will continue to do so," he said.Primary resources:Everything you need to know about the 2024 New Hampshire primaryCompare, contrast 2024 presidential candidates on key issuesLearn more about Get the Facts and view all WMUR fact checks hereRe-watch “Conversation with the Candidate”See highlights from Candidate CaféSign up for the WMUR Politics newsletterSee election coverage on Very Local
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley celebrated her birthday Saturday on the campaign trail in New Hampshire, where she made her final push before the first-in-the-nation primary.
Haley addressed several issues at the Keene Country Club, including immigration, Social Security and veterans’ health care.
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On stage and in an interview with News 9, Haley said she was concerned about former President Donald Trump’s mental fitness when she heard that he confused her name with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s during a rally Friday night in Concord.
“By the way, they never report the crowd on Jan. 6. You know, Nikki Haley, Nikki Haley, Nikki Haley,” Trump said during the rally. “Did you know they destroyed all of the information, all of the evidence, everything? Deleted and destroyed all of it. All of it because of lots of things. Like, Nikki Haley was in charge of security. We offered her 10,000 people, soldiers, National Guard – whatever they want. They turned it down.”
Trump has made unsupported claims before that evidence was destroyed about the Jan. 6 attacks. Although he kept saying Haley’s name, he appeared to be referring to Pelosi and his claims that she neglected security on that day. The decision whether to call National Guard troops to the Capitol is made by the Capitol Police Board, not the speaker of the House.
>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play <<
Haley referenced Trump’s mistake when speaking to the crowd in Keene.
“The concern I have is – I’m not saying anything derogatory – but when you’re dealing with the pressures of a presidency, we can’t have someone else that we question whether they’re mentally fit to do it,” she said.
Haley also reiterated her goal of finishing stronger in New Hampshire than she did in Iowa, where she came in third place to Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“We wanted to be strong in Iowa,” she said. “We did that. We want to be stronger in New Hampshire, and then we want to be even stronger than that in South Carolina, and so the focus and the energy that we feel on the ground is good.”
Haley said this election is about moving forward.
“This is not about looking at the past. This is about looking at the future,” she said. “We can do this, and we need to do this for the sake of our kids and for the sake of where we go as a country.”
She said she’s someone who can get things done in the White House.
“I’m an accountant, and I think we need that now more than ever in the White House,” she said. “I’ve been a two-term governor that took a double-digit unemployment state and turned it into an economic powerhouse. I was at the United Nations and dealt with Russia, China and Iran every day. I know what it means to put them on their heels.”
Haley had several stops scheduled Saturday, including at Peterborough Town Hall, Franklin Pierce University in Rindge and Nashua, where she will hold a rally to wrap up her birthday on the campaign trail.
Also on Saturday, former Republican presidential candidate Asa Hutchinson, who dropped out of the race following a poor performance in Iowa, endorsed Haley. On X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, Hutchinson continued his criticisms of Trump.
“Anyone who believes Donald Trump will unite this country has been asleep over the last 8 years. Trump intentionally tries to divide America and will continue to do so,” he said.
Primary resources: