Trump rips Nikki Haley after debate: ‘birdbrain’

Former President Trump ripped into his fellow GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley on Friday following the second GOP presidential debate, calling her “birdbrain.” 

Trump said in a post on Truth Social that he and “MAGA” will never “go” for Haley, writing, “No loyalty, plenty of lies!” He criticized her for initially stating that she would not run for president in 2024 if Trump also mounted another White House bid. 

Trump wrote of Haley: “’I will never run against our great President,’ she said, ‘he has done an outstanding job.’ To which I responded, ‘How nice of you to say, Nikki,’ knowing full well that her words mean nothing. She even came to Mar-a-Lago with her family, ‘bearing gifts.’ Anyway, Birdbrain doesn’t have the TALENT or TEMPERAMENT to do the job. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” 

Trump’s post comes after Haley and others criticized Trump during Wednesday’s debate, and as Haley has been rising in the GOP presidential field.

Haley responded to Trump’s post Friday on X, saying it shows her campaign is gaining momentum.

“Love this. It means we are in 2nd and moving up fast. Bring it!” she said.

Haley came in second in a poll in New Hampshire earlier this week, receiving 15 percent support. The former U.N. ambassador also saw the biggest polling boost after her first debate performance in August.

During the second debate, Haley criticized Trump over his policies related to China while in office, saying he only focused on trade relations but not other issues like China’s role in fentanyl being shipped into the United States, placing a base in Cuba or sending spy balloons across the country. 

“This is where President Trump went wrong,” she said. 

Candidates also slammed Trump for skipping the debate and instead holding a separate event. Haley said during an appearance on Fox News on Thursday that Trump has a “lot of questions to answer to.” 

“You can’t win if you’re absent,” Haley said. 

The Trump campaign previously went after Haley immediately following her debate performance, pointing to an interview Haley gave in 2012 in which she said then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was an “inspiration” for her career. 

The campaign also criticized her support for continued U.S. aid for Ukraine to defend itself against Russia, arguing she is more concentrated on spending instead of “finding a peaceful solution.”