Failed presidential candidate and ultra-neocon Nikki Haley has accepted a last-minute invitation to speak at the Republican National Convention on Tuesday.
Haley’s addition to the lineup was announced on Sunday, one day after the failed assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
The Associated Press reports:
Haley, who was also elected twice as South Carolina governor, was added to the schedule after she was initially not among the list of speakers, according to Haley spokesperson Chaney Denton. The schedule change was confirmed by a Republican official who is familiar with the convention plans but was not authorized to speak publicly.
Denton had said last week that the former South Carolina governor was not invited to the convention, but Haley had instructed her delegates to vote for Trump and issued a public call for party unity.
During the primary, Haley accused Trump of causing chaos and disregarding the importance of U.S. alliances abroad. She did not endorse him when she dropped out in early March, instead waiting more than two months before she said she planned to vote for him.
In May, Trump said Haley would “be on our team in some form” after the hawkish former ambassador to the United Nations finally said she would vote for him — but made it very clear that she wanted a role in the administration.
“You know, we had a nasty campaign. It was pretty nasty. But she’s a very capable person, and I’m sure she’s going to be on our team in some form. Absolutely,” Trump said.
Haley had said she would vote for Trump while speaking at a Hudson Institute event.
“I will be voting for Trump. Having said that, I stand by what I said in my suspension speech,” Haley said. “Trump would be smart to reach out to the millions of people who voted for me and continue to support me.”
Haley has been deeply unpopular with Trump’s base, partly because of all the attacks on him during her campaign — but also because she represents more of the John McCain-style of policies that his populist supporters have widely rejected.
