Haley Attacks Trump For Ties To Putin

Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley has criticized her former employer and current GOP competitor, ex-President Donald Trump, over his past admiration for Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Haley’s remarks came shortly after reports emerged of the death of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny in prison.

In a statement posted on X Friday morning, Haley pointed fingers at Putin, attributing blame for Navalny’s demise. She highlighted Trump’s previous defense of Putin, recalling his remark, “In all fairness to Putin, you’re saying he killed people. I haven’t seen that.”

As the primary election in her home state approaches, Haley has intensified her criticisms of Trump, under whom she served as a United Nations ambassador. The timing of her rebuke coincided with the Russian Prison Service’s announcement that Navalny fell ill during a walk, subsequently losing consciousness and being declared deceased.

Despite trailing Trump significantly in polls, Haley has persistently targeted the former president on her campaign trail, particularly focusing on his perceived closeness to authoritarian leaders. In a Valentine’s Day campaign move, her team released mock love letters featuring Trump’s previous flattering remarks about various adversarial leaders, including Putin.

Putin’s reelection is anticipated in Russia’s upcoming presidential election scheduled for March, a fact often underscored by Haley to highlight what she sees as Trump’s overly accommodating stance toward authoritarian regimes.

Earlier this month, Haley cautioned against siding with what she termed “a thug,” responding to Trump’s suggestion that Russia could act without restraint towards NATO nations with insufficient defense spending.

Trump currently maintains a considerable 35-point advantage over Haley in South Carolina, as per a recent CBS News/YouGov poll, ahead of the state’s primary on February 24th.