Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis, once prominent opponents of Donald Trump within the Republican Party, gave strong endorsements to Trump’s presidential candidacy on Tuesday.
This display of unity highlighted Trump’s significant influence over the party.
On the second night of the Republican National Convention, both Haley and DeSantis, who had vied for the GOP nomination earlier this year, spoke consecutively during the 8 PM hour.
Trump watched and applauded from his elevated box at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the convention was held.
“I’ll start by making one thing perfectly clear: Donald Trump has my strong endorsement, period,” Haley declared.
She addressed those “who don’t agree with Donald Trump 100% of the time,” emphasizing that full agreement with Trump wasn’t necessary for support.
Haley, formerly the governor of South Carolina and Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations, praised Trump’s foreign policy achievements, particularly in dealing with Russia.
“When Donald Trump was president, Putin did nothing.
No invasions.
No wars.
That was no accident.
Putin didn’t attack Ukraine because he knew Donald Trump was tough.
A strong president doesn’t start wars.
A strong president prevents wars,” she stated, earning loud applause.
DeSantis was equally clear in his support for Trump.
“Let’s send Joe Biden back to his basement and let’s send Donald Trump back to the White House,” he urged.
Initially, neither Haley nor DeSantis was scheduled to speak at the convention, but they were added to the lineup following an assassination attempt on Trump the previous Saturday.
This move was aimed at showcasing Republican unity.
“President Trump asked me to speak to this convention in the name of unity.
It was a gracious invitation and I was happy to accept,” Haley said.
Trump, visibly pleased on the Jumbotron, had reasons to be satisfied.
Not long ago, both Haley and DeSantis were critical of him.
Haley had expressed strong criticism of Trump in January, saying, “He’s made it chaotic.
He’s made it self-absorbed.
He’s made people dislike and judge each other.
He’s left that a president should have moral clarity, and know the difference between right or wrong, and he’s just toxic.”
Haley had also labeled Trump as “thin-skinned and easily distracted,” and delayed endorsing him until May.
Austin Weatherford, the Biden campaign’s national director for Republican engagement, referenced Haley’s previous criticisms in a statement after her speech on Tuesday.
“Ambassador Haley said it best herself: someone who doesn’t respect our military, doesn’t know right from wrong, and ‘surrounds himself in chaos’ can’t be president,” he said.
He added that many Republicans had voted against Trump due to his attacks on institutions, allies, and civility.
DeSantis had endorsed Trump shortly after exiting the presidential race in January, despite continuing private criticisms.
On the campaign trail, he had suggested that America did not need a president who had “lost the zip on their fastball.”
In their speeches, Haley and DeSantis took different approaches.
Haley emphasized the need to expand the Republican Party, though her comments received only lukewarm applause from the delegates.
“We must not only be a unified party, we must also expand our party,” she said.
“We are so much better when we are bigger.
We are stronger when we welcome people into our party who have different backgrounds and experiences.”
DeSantis focused on criticizing Biden and promoting right-wing policies, garnering a more enthusiastic response.
“America cannot afford four more years of a Weekend at Bernie’s presidency,” he said.
He boasted about Republican successes and declared, “the woke mind virus is dead and Florida is a solid Republican state.”
DeSantis also outlined a policy agenda that included strict immigration controls and dismantling the “administrative state.”
While DeSantis’s hard-right rhetoric resonated more with the delegates than Haley’s calls for unity and outreach, both former rivals showed their support for Trump, reinforcing his strong position within the Republican Party.
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