Former president fronts: Haley doubts Trump's willpower

The former president takes the lead
Haley doubts Trump's willpower

January 20, 2024, 10:56 pm

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The first round of the Republican primary in Iowa clearly went to Donald Trump. Contender Nikki Haley is now looking ahead to the next vote in New Hampshire — and pitting it against the former president.

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has questioned the state of mind of her party's rival, Donald Trump. During an appearance in New Hampshire, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations noted the former president's gaffe, repeatedly confusing him with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday. “When you have to deal with the pressures of the presidency, you can't have somebody where you wonder if they're mentally up to it,” Haley said.

Trump confused Haley with Pelosi on Friday when she talked about the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol by her supporters. “Nikki Haley is in charge of security. We offered her 10,000 people — soldiers, National Guard, whatever — and they turned it down,” Trump said.

Haley insisted that she was not responsible for security at the Capitol or was in Washington at the time. However, there is no evidence to support Trump's claims that he offered help during the blockade or that such an offer was rejected.

The age of focused Biden

Trump, 77, and other Republicans have repeatedly attacked 81-year-old President Joe Biden for being beyond his years and cast doubt on the Democratic politician's ability to serve a second term. In an interview with Fox News, Haley said politicians at the top of the state need to be “at the top of their game.” “When they're 80 years old and have to deal with Putin and Xi and Kim and North Korea, do we want them to be throwing around names and doing the wrong thing?”

Trump won the first Republican primary in Iowa on Monday by a wide margin over his rivals. He received 51 percent of the vote, 30 points ahead of Florida's second-place governor, Ron DeSantis, who received about 21 percent. Haley was third with 19 percent. With his clear victory, Trump cemented his position as the overwhelming favorite in the Republican presidential race. The next primary election is Tuesday in New Hampshire.