By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-11-14 19:02:31 | Updated at 2024-11-22 03:12:24
1 week ago
One person who will not be serving in President-elect Donald Trump's upcoming cabinet is his one time political rival Nikki Haley. But it was not because he vetoed the move as his recent post suggests - rather she did.
Haley revealed new details about her communications with Trump's allies on Wednesday on her SiriusXM radio show 'Nikki Haley Live.'
The one-time GOP presidential candidate and Trump's former ambassador to the UN claimed she has no interest in serving in his cabinet and made that clear.
But it apparently did not stop Trump allies from making several overtures to her leading up to the 2024 election.
Haley claimed the president-elect's best friend Steve Witkoff came to her house in South Carolina to speak with the former governor and her husband.
She said he basically 'wanted a truce' between her and Trump, but she said it was not necessary.
Nikki Haley speaking about having no interest in serving in Trump's second administration on her SiriusXM radio program. She also said the president-elect's friend came to see her about a truce
'I told him at the time there was not truce needed, that I had - that Trump had my support. There was no issues on my end,' Haley explained on her show.
'At that point he was like "what do you want? Tell me what you want. Is there anything you want?"' Haley recalled.
'And I said "there's nothing I want." And there wasn't anything I wanted,' Haley continued.
According to Haley, the conversations behind the scenes did not stop there.
A few weeks ago, she said she spoke with Howard Lutnick who is serving as Trump's transition director.
'He asked, you know, if I knew of people that would be good in the cabinet. If there was any insight,' Haley claimed.
She told Lutnick she believes it is important that Trump surround himself with people that will tell him the truth.
Haley also shared that she mentioned a potential name for commerce secretary and argued UN ambassador should be a cabinet pick.
While his commerce pick has yet to be announced, Trump named New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik his nominee for the UN post.
'I did not ask anything for me,' Haley said. 'I have made it clear to everyone that I was not interested in the administration.'
Haley said Steve Witkoff (left) came to see her at her home to get a truce with Trump, but she said it was not necessary. She recalled him asking her 'what do you want?'
Haley said she also spoke with Howard Lutnick who is leading the Trump transition team where he asked her for recommendations for a Trump cabinet
Her clarity on the matter comes after Trump appeared to suggest otherwise in a recent Truth Social post.
On November 9, Trump wrote on social media he would not be inviting Haley or former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to join his new administration, but he did thank them for their service to the country.
'I was proud to work with President Trump defending America at the United Nations. I wish him, and all who serve, great success in moving us forward to a stronger, safer America over the next four years,' Haley responded on X.
In her radio show, Haley revealed her husband and son were upset she did not share the backstory in her response to Trump online.
'The truth is, I know the game he was playing. I don't need to play that game,' Haley said on her show. 'But more importantly, we have to look at the bigger picture: it is time to move on.'
Haley's post in response to Trump writing she would not be invited to join his administration. She said on her radio program that she had expressed she was not interested and that her family was upset she did not include the backstory in her post
She argued they should pray that Trump does well and everyone he appoints does well.
'We should hope for the sake of our kids and generations to follow us that this goes forward,' Haley said.
'Do I take it personally? No, that's who he is. He can be shallow at times, and I think he showed that,' she pointed out. 'But I don't have to be shallow.'
She said at the end of the day she's 'very comfortable' with where she is.
Haley and Trump have had a tumultuous relationship in recent years. During the 2024 GOP primary, Haley ripped into Trump as 'unhinged,' blasting his age and mental fitness.
But several months after she bowed out of the race, she announced she would be voting for the ex-president.
Some Republicans urged Trump to extend an olive branch to Haley and get her to come campaign for him, but when it was brought up publicly, the former president instead touted how badly he beat her in the primary and dismissed the idea.
In the end, Haley never hit the campaign trail for him, but it did not matter anyway.
