East US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley claimed she turned down an offer Allies of President-elect Donald Trump Who suggested he could help her get a role in the new administration.
Haley, 52, recounted a meeting with Trump’s longtime friend and fellow real estate mogul Steve Witkoff, who expressed eagerness to work things out between the two. The two former rivals for the 2024 Republican nomination.
“I had no interest in being in (Trump’s) Cabinet,” Haley said Wednesday on her weekly SiriusXM show, “Nikki Haley Live.”
“He knew this but to go a little further, his best friend, Steve Witkoff, came to our house in South Carolina, talked to me and my husband, and basically wanted a compromise between me and Donald Trump.
“At that time I told him there was no need for a ceasefire, Trump had my support. There was no problem from my side. At that time, he was like, ‘What do you want? Tell me what you want. you want anything?’ I said, ‘I don’t want anything like that.’
Earlier this week, Trump announced that Witkoff would be his special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old was playing golf with Trump at his namesake West Palm Beach, Florida club on September 15 when a Assassination attempt against the 45th President Was thwarted by a Secret Service agent.
Trump, 78, was reportedly angry that Haley remained in the GOP primary in March despite having no realistic path to victory.
The future president was once again seen staring at Haley during her speech at the July Republican National Convention, while he was seen laughing and smiling during Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ address.
On Saturday, Trump ruled out bringing Haley back into his next administration.
“I would not invite former Ambassador Nikki Haley, or former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, to join the Trump administration currently in formation. I greatly enjoyed and appreciated working with him previously, and want to thank him for his service to our country,” he said. Written on Truth Social,
Haley responded at the time, saying she was “proud” to work with Trump and adding that “I wish him and all those who serve him great success in leading us forward.”
The former South Carolina governor recalled Wednesday that her husband and son wanted her to be more forceful in her response and noted that she had no interest in either role.
“The truth is, I know what game he was playing. I don’t need to play that game, but more importantly, we have to look at the bigger picture. It’s time to move on,” Haley explained.
“Do I take it personally? No, this is it. “He can be shallow sometimes, and I think he showed that.”
Haley also claimed to have spoken to Howard Lutnick, co-chair of Trump’s transition team and CEO of investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald.
“What I said is, I think it’s really important that Trump surround himself with people who will tell him the truth, and I mentioned someone I thought would be a good candidate for Commerce Secretary and I Mentioned that I think the UN ambassador should have a Cabinet pick,” Haley recalled.
“I didn’t ask for anything for myself.”
In response to a request for comment, the Trump campaign referred to The Post as the president-elect’s Truth Social post about not bringing Haley into his next administration.
The Post also contacted Witkoff’s spokesperson for comment.
(TagstoTranslate)Politics(T)US News(T)2024 Election(T)2024 Presidential Election(T)Donald Trump(T)Nikki Haley(T)The Trump Transition(T)White House
