Nikki Haley is at it again, proving that no soapbox is too small when it comes to her crusade for attention. This time, she’s taking aim at Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump’s pick for Director of National Intelligence, with a tirade that sounds more like sour grapes than a thoughtful critique. If jealousy were an Olympic sport, Haley might just snag the gold.
Haley’s latest outburst, delivered on her SiriusXM show, is a masterclass in political pettiness. Her main gripe? That Gabbard is suddenly “everyone’s favorite Republican” despite what Haley sees as a questionable track record. Sure, Gabbard’s past foreign policy stances aren’t exactly in line with traditional GOP orthodoxy, but let’s not pretend Haley’s own record is spotless. The pot might want to stop calling the kettle black.
What really gets under Haley’s skin, though, is Gabbard’s infamous 2017 trip to Syria to meet with Bashar al-Assad. Haley calls it a “photo op” and accuses Gabbard of parroting “Russian propaganda” by questioning the Assad regime’s culpability in chemical attacks. Ironically, Haley herself didn’t seem to mind hobnobbing with world leaders during her stint as U.N. ambassador, but apparently, it’s only acceptable when she does it.
Haley also drags out the tired trope of calling Gabbard a “Russian, Iranian, Syrian, and Chinese sympathizer.” It’s the kind of language that gets headlines but offers little substance. Haley’s fixation on Gabbard’s foreign policy positions reads less like genuine concern and more like a bad case of “why isn’t anyone talking about me?” syndrome.
Do you really know everything you need to know about Tulsi Gabbard? We break it down here. Watch now #NikkiHaleyLive on @SiriusXM @Spotify @ApplePodcasts #TulsiGabbard #NationalSecurity #Intelligence pic.twitter.com/Rh1O26emyH
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) November 20, 2024
What’s most amusing, though, is Haley’s attempt to align herself with the left-wing outrage brigade. She name-drops Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to bolster her argument, as if GOP voters are going to suddenly warm to her because AOC agrees with her for once. Spoiler alert: They won’t.
Haley doesn’t stop at Gabbard, either. She goes after other Trump nominees with gusto, including RFK Jr. for Health and Human Services and Matt Gaetz for Attorney General. Haley’s critiques are predictable—RFK Jr. is too liberal, Gaetz has “baggage,” and Pete Hegseth (Trump’s defense secretary pick) is mired in sexual assault allegations. But instead of offering constructive solutions, Haley seems more interested in playing moral hall monitor, wagging her finger at Trump’s choices while conveniently ignoring the optics of her own relentless ambition.
Haley’s problem isn’t that she’s wrong about everything—Gabbard and RFK Jr. do come with significant baggage—but her delivery reeks of desperation. She doesn’t come across as a thoughtful critic so much as someone trying to stay relevant in a party that has largely moved on from her brand of corporate, establishment conservatism.
If Nikki Haley really wants a cabinet filled with neocon warmongers to satisfy the billionaire donors that control her, she should try running for President and winning herself…Oh wait, I forgot she already tried that and lost in a landslide 🤣🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/u0fxZwBfx8
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) November 21, 2024
Nikki Haley’s screeds do little more than reinforce why so many Republicans view her with skepticism. Whether it’s her flip-flopping on Trump, her knack for performative outrage, or her habit of punching right when it’s politically convenient, Haley keeps reminding voters why she’s not their first (or second, or third) choice. If her goal is to prove she’s the GOP’s least favorite hall monitor, mission accomplished.
