Former Gov. Nikki Haley said Monday that former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, of Ohio, should change the way they talk about women and instead focus on policy positions.
In an interview on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends,” Haley was asked why she believed Harris had a 14-point lead in the gender gap among women.
“I think it’s because Donald Trump and JD Vance need to change the way they talk about women. You don’t have to call Kamala dumb. She didn’t get this far, you know, just by accident. … She is a prosecutor. You don’t have to go and talk about intelligence or looks or anything else. Just focus on policies,” she said.
Haley said that when Republicans call Democratic women “dumb,” “Republican women, get their backs, too.”
“The bottom line is, we win on policies,” she added. “Stick to principles, leave everything else. That’s how he can win.”
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment about Haley’s remarks.
Although she dropped out of the GOP presidential primary race earlier this year saying she would not endorse Trump, Haley expressed strong support for him in remarks at the Republican National Convention in July.
However, since supporting it, Haley has not shied away from criticizing the former presidentfor whom she resigned as governor of South Carolina to serve as US ambassador to the United Nations.
Haley said in an interview on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” that aired Sunday that she doesn’t agree with Trump’s style or communication strategy, but that it’s “not a question that” she supports Harris because of his policies.
“Now, do I agree with his style? Do I agree with his approach? Do I agree with his communication? No,” Haley said. “When I look at the policies and how they affect my family, and how I think they’re going to affect the country, that’s where I go back and I see the differences. I mean this. – These are the candidates that have been given to us.
She later added, mentioned Comments made earlier by Vance“No, it’s not helpful to talk about whether or not women have children.”
Describing both nominees, Haley also said: “No one is perfect. Neither is ideal.”
Trump has been targeting Harris with ad hominem attacks since she entered the race after President Joe Biden dropped out. Speaking to a New Hampshire-focused podcast last week, Trump said Harris was “not smart enough.”
“Something is wrong,” Trump said. “Something is wrong, but we cannot go another four years with a dumb president. We can’t do that. We’ve had four years with a president who should never have been, and we can’t get over it.
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