US: Nikki Haley says she will vote for Donald Trump in November

Nikki Haley and Donald Trump. Pic/AFP

Former Republican Party presidential candidate Nikki Haley said on Wednesday she will vote for former US President Donald Trump over US President Joe Biden in November, reported news agency ANI.

In her remarks at the Hudson Institute, Haley stated she prioritises a president who will hold enemies to account, secures the border and back "capitalism and freedom." She noted that while "Trump has not been perfect on these policies", however, "Biden has been a catastrophe."

"As a voter, I put my priorities on a president who's going to have the backs of our allies and hold our enemies to account, who would secure the border, no more excuses." Haley said, "A president who would support capitalism and freedom, a president who understands we need less debt not more debt," she said, reported ANI.

"Trump has not been perfect on these policies. I've made that clear, many, many times. But Biden has been a catastrophe. So, I will be voting for Trump," Nikki Haley added, according to The Hill report.

Earlier, in March, Haley dropped out of the GOP presidential candidate contest. She had said, "The time has now come to suspend my campaign. I said I wanted Americans to have their voices heard. I have done that. I have no regrets."

She said, "Having said, "I stand by what I said in my suspension speech. Trump would be smart to reach out to the millions of people who voted for me and continue to support me, and not assume that they're just going to be with him", adding, "And I genuinely hope he does that."

Haley's remarks at the institute come at a time when she continues to hold a significant presence in Republican presidential primary results, despite her exit from the race, as some in the GOP express their frustration with Donald Trump through protest votes, reported ANI.

The former South Carolina Governor received 20 per cent of the vote in Maryland's GOP primary last week, and 18 per cent in Nebraska. A week before that, Haley secured nearly 22 per cent of the vote in Indiana's Republican primary. Earlier this year, she got more than 100,000 votes in each of the two key battleground states of Arizona and Pennsylvania, reported ANI.

Trump dismissed the results, stressing that the supporters of Nikki Haley will back him in the general elections against Biden, according to The Hill report.

Earlier this month, the former US President said, "She got very few voters." He further said, "And those voters are all coming to me, and you may have a lot of Democrats in there because they have a very tricky little system. But those voters are coming to me."

Meanwhile, Biden's campaign has also made a move for Haley's supporters. Earlier, in March, Biden stated that Trump does not want Haley's supporters while adding that there was a place for them in his campaign, reported ANI.

In March, Biden said, "Donald Trump made it clear he doesn't want Nikki Haley's supporters." He said, "I want to be clear: There is a place for them in my campaign", The Hill reported.

The former South Carolina Governor joined the Hudson Institute as its Walter P Stern chair in April. The post will help her to have a notable profile before the 2028 GOP presidential primary, for which she has repeatedly floated.

(With inputs from ANI)