Nikki Haley’s campaign laughed off a “creepy” gift from former President Donald Trump’s campaign on Sunday that played up his cruel “bird brain” title for her.
In the morning, Trump’s team left a birdcage and some bird food outside Haley’s hotel room in Iowa — reinforcing Trump’s opposition to the woman he appointed as US Ambassador to the United Nations in 2017.
When asked for comment by The Post, Haley’s campaign expressed confusion at the ordeal.
“This behavior is strange, creepy, and desperate from a former president who is feeling the pressure,” Betsy Ankney, Haley’s campaign manager, said in a statement. “It further proves that it is time to leave the drama. America is better than this. Let’s go.”
Haley posted a sarcastic keepsake image to X, formerly of Twitter.
“After a day of campaigning, this is the message waiting for me outside my hotel room…” Haley wrote.
Nikki Haley has largely avoided a fight with her former boss. The 2024 GOP nominee posted an image of the surprise gift to social media. Twitter/@NikkiHaleyDonald Trump usually takes out his anger on those who attack him or threaten his political standing.Getty Images
Trump lashed out at Haley a few days earlier on the Truth Social.
“MAGA, or I, would never elect Birdbrain Nikki Haley,” Trump wrote in one post. “Birdbrain doesn’t have the TALENT or TEMPERAMENT to do the job. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
It’s anyone’s guess how Trump came up with the “Birdbrain” jab. But it is in line with his penchant over the years for making disparaging nicknames for political enemies.
For example, Trump has called Florida Governor Ron DeSantis “Meatball Ron” and “DeSanctimonious”, among others. He has also dubbed President Biden, “Crooked Joe” – a rebranding of his 2016 sneer at rival “Crooked Hillary” Clinton.
Nikki Haley spars with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over fraud in Florida during the second GOP debate on September 27.REUTERS
The new Trump venom comes as Haley appears to have gained ground in the polls in recent weeks, ranking third in the 2024 Republican field in the latest RealClearPolitics aggregate.
That’s up sharply from his fifth-place finish in early August.
Throughout her campaign, Haley has refrained from reflexively bashing Trump, but has done so on occasion while highlighting policy conflicts with him.
In Simi Valley, California, last week during a GOP debate, Haley juxtaposed their approach to China.
“This is where President Trump went wrong,” he argued. “He is focused on trade with China. He did not focus on the fact that they bought our farmland. He didn’t focus on the fact that they were killing Americans.”
Nikki Haley’s campaign has been touting recent increases in polling. AP
The Trump campaign began ramping up the blame against him soon after.
The 77-year-old former president flew to Iowa late Sunday, a day after Haley held a town hall in the Hawkeye State.
Trump maintains a 43.9 percentage point lead over his closest 2024 GOP foe, DeSantis, according to the latest RealClearPolitics average.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
