Nikki Haley Takes Issue with Donald Trump’s Leadership Style at Jewish Republican Gathering

On Saturday, Nikki Haley offered pointed criticism of Donald Trump’s leadership, specifically his affinity for autocratic foreign leaders, during a speech at the annual meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas. Haley emphasized that while disruptive leadership might have been beneficial eight years ago, the current times call for a leader who can also mend what has been broken.

As a former Ambassador to the United Nations, Haley drew upon her foreign policy credentials to advocate for traditional Republican foreign policy values. In the same forum, former Vice President Mike Pence announced his withdrawal from the presidential race, further underscoring Trump’s powerful influence in the party’s primaries.

At the event, which had broad participation from Republican presidential hopefuls, there was unanimous backing for Israel’s military actions against Hamas. This solidarity contrasted sharply with the party’s divided stance on U.S. support for Ukraine amidst the Russian invasion.

Trump, who continues to be a dominant force in the 2024 Republican primary, ignored remarks made by Haley and others preceding him. He focused on his own presidential accomplishments, vowing that his return to the presidency would re-establish “peace through strength” and avert global conflict.

The timing of the gathering was significant, coming just after Israel had intensified its military operations in Gaza in response to a deadly attack by Hamas militants on October 7. The ongoing conflict heightened the focus on candidates’ positions regarding Israel and its role in global security.

While opting not to mention Trump directly, Pence urged President Joe Biden to extend unwavering support to Israel. Pence also invoked traditional American values and promoted the United States’ responsibility as the “leader of the free world.”

Haley did name Trump in her remarks, acknowledging his pro-Israel stance but questioning his future conduct. She cited Trump’s recent comments that garnered criticism for lambasting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and for his favorable words about Hezbollah, as well as autocratic rulers of China and North Korea.

Although Haley cast doubt on Trump just before he spoke, Trump proceeded to praise Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a contentious figure known for his autocratic governance. Trump’s speech met with strong approval from the audience.

The event revealed clear support for Trump, despite the absence of red yarmulkes emblazoned with his name, a past feature. This came after Chris Christie, who has made criticism of Trump a cornerstone of his campaign, faced a chorus of boos upon taking the stage.

In her comments, most of the candidates expressed staunch support for Israel and criticized President Biden for his policies, especially a $6 billion transfer to Iran for the release of five detained U.S. citizens. They also accused Democrats of not doing enough to counter antisemitism.

Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur criticized by both Pence and Haley for his inexperience and foreign policy positions, elicited boos for advocating a more isolationist U.S. stance. However, his speech later gained traction among the audience.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott also weighed in on the topic of Israel and U.S. foreign policy. DeSantis enumerated his official actions supporting Israel, while Scott faulted liberal politicians for insufficiently addressing the marginalization of Jewish Americans.

During Scott’s speech, mention of U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib led to boos from the crowd. Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress, has called for a reevaluation of U.S. military aid to Israel, and has been widely criticized for not explicitly blaming Hamas for recent attacks.

Scott concluded by accusing Democrats of tolerating antisemitism rather than alienating their liberal base.

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