Nikki Haley’s latest attempt to challenge President Donald Trump backfired dramatically as she faced a wave of criticism from conservatives and Trump supporters. Haley, who had previously run for the Republican presidential nomination before dropping out and endorsing Trump, tried to criticize his approach to U.S.-Ukraine relations after his recent comments labeling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a “dictator without elections.”
In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump shared his thoughts regarding the situation in Ukraine, stating, “I love Ukraine, but Zelenskyy has done a terrible job, his Country is shattered.” He criticized the Ukrainian president further, describing him as a “modestly successful comedian” who persuaded the United States to invest billions in a conflict he believes cannot be won. Trump also mentioned that the U.S. is actively involved in “successfully negotiating an end to the War with Russia.”
Not long after, the anti-Trump legacy media chimed in to criticize him. Axios’s Barak Ravid wrote, “The smear marks a new low in the deteriorating U.S.-Ukraine relationship. It comes as the Trump administration is negotiating a deal with the Kremlin to end Russia’s war in Ukraine without Kyiv’s participation in the talks.” Haley also chimed in with a familiar deep-state neocon talking point, taking to social media to write: “These are classic Russian talking points. Exactly what Putin wants.”
The criticisms were especially strong from Trump supporters who see his stance on Ukraine as a means to achieve peace and prevent further involvement in foreign conflicts. One social media user summed up the sentiment, writing, “Hey Nik, I’d sit this one out…it won’t bring you back into relevance.” Others accused her of playing both sides for political gain, a move that has not gone unnoticed by Republican voters. “You’re still here?” another joked.
“Your opinions carry no weight. You are irrelevant. You have no power and you will never be elected President. Americans can’t stand you. We all know you’re a f*cking liar and a fraud. It would be best if we never hear from you again. Bye!” another user noted. This week, American and Russian representatives met in Saudi Arabia to discuss the conflict without involving Ukraine in the talks. After President Zelensky objected to being excluded and accused the parties of secretive dealings, President Trump responded by publicly criticizing him.
