Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley hinted at launching a presidential campaign on Monday, referring to the next president as “her” during a speech at the Christians United for Israel summit held just outside Washington D.C.
While speaking about President Joe Biden potentially entering a revamped Iran nuclear deal, Haley told the crowd, “and if this president signs any sort of deal, I’ll make you a promise. The next President will shred it – on her first day in office.”
Although Haley did not officially launch a presidential bid, her use of the female pronoun prompted speculation from many political pundits that she was referring to herself as the next president.
Former Trump White House aide Steven Cheung said Haley’s comments were “Hillary Clinton levels of cringe.”
John Cardillo called Haley “politically delusional” after her Twitter account posted that quote from her speech.
In response to her statement, social media users quickly brought up former President Donald Trump, who many expect to launch a bid to return to the White House in 2024.
Human Events’ Jack Posobiec joked, “Wait, Trump is identifying as a woman for the 2024 race?”
The majority of feedback to Haley’s message was negative, with Twitter users calling her a “neocon” and “warmonger.”
“You’ll never be president. Nobody likes you except the handful of neocon ‘yes men’ that you’re surrounded by and the irrelevant National Review, which nobody reads,” Cassandra MacDonald tweeted.
During her speech, Haley also discussed the ongoing Ukrainian-Russian war, claiming that America has “a duty to support Ukraine.”
“If America hadn’t failed so miserably in Afghanistan, there never would have been a war in Ukraine,” Haley said.
Haley’s comments on Monday mark the second time in one month that Haley has publicly hinted at running for president in 2024.
While speaking in Iowa, a highly frequented destination for presidential hopefuls, Haley said she would run in 2024 if “there’s a place” for her.
“What I’ve always said is, I love this country. I had the pleasure of serving the state that raised me and defending the country I love so much,” Haley told a crowd of Iowans. “And if it looks like there’s a place for me next year, I’ve never lost a race. I’m not going to start now. I’ll put 1,000% in and I’ll finish it. If there’s not a place for me, I will fight for this country until my last breath.”