DONALD TRUMP’S FORMER rivals Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis have publicly endorsed the former president’s run for office, adding to the list of recent endorsements.
Both Haley and DeSantis competed with Trump in the Republican primary. Now, the Republican Party is showing unity while the Democratic Party is battling increasing division.
Speaking at the Republican National Convention, Nikki Haley, the former UN ambassador who was Trump’s final challenger in the Republican primary, directly addressed her supporters after taking to the stage to a mix of cheers and boos.
“My message to them is simple: You don’t have to agree with Trump 100% of the time to vote for him,” Haley said.
.@NikkiHaley: DONALD TRUMP HAS MY STRONG ENDORSEMENT 🇺🇸#RNCinMKE pic.twitter.com/A9qmIcEQFe
— Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) July 17, 2024
She was followed by Florida governor Ron DeSantis, a onetime ally of Trump turned primary rival who has worked to rebuild his relationship with the former president since dropping out of the primary.
“Donald Trump has been demonised. He’s been sued. He’s been prosecuted. And he nearly lost his life,” DeSantis told the crowd. “We cannot let him down. And we cannot let America down.”
"LET'S MAKE THE 45TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES THE 47TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES" @RonDeSantis#RNCinMKE pic.twitter.com/sgab9VOL4i
— Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) July 17, 2024
Such overtures are typical in political conventions, where the purpose is often to bring a party together after bitter primaries. But the appearances by Haley and DeSantis were particularly notable given the personal animosity that defined this year’s Republican contest – much of that being directed by Trump at Haley and DeSantis.
The displays of unity stood in stark contrast to the dynamic facing Democrats, many of whom are increasingly uncertain that US President Joe Biden is the right choice to take on Trump in the November election.
DeSantis was once seen as best positioned to challenge Trump’s position at the top of the party. As a presidential candidate, he was slow to criticise Trump directly before eventually accusing him of repeatedly failing to follow through on his promises.
Haley, meanwhile, painted Trump as chaotic and suggested the 78-year-old was too old to serve another term. Unlike DeSantis, she did not immediately endorse Trump after she dropped out, instead waiting for a few months to announce he had her vote.
Biden’s campaign resurrected Haley’s criticisms on Tuesday. Austin Weatherford, a spokesperson for the campaign, said in a statement: “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.”
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