Haley Tells Trump To ‘Say It To My Face’ After He Questions Her Military Husband’s Whereabouts | EUROtoday

GILBERT, S.C. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump on Saturday questioned why Nikki Haley’s husband wasn’t on the marketing campaign path, drawing sharp responses from each the previous U.N. ambassador and her husband, who’s at present overseas on a National Guard mission.

“What happened to her husband?” Trump advised a crowd in Conway, South Carolina, as he and Haley held occasions throughout the state forward of its Feb. 24 Republican major. “Where is he? He’s gone. He knew. He knew.”

Responded Haley in a submit on X: “Michael is deployed serving our country, something you know nothing about.”

It’s the most recent instance of Trump disparaging his opponents based mostly on their U.S. navy service, going again to his questioning of whether or not the late Sen. John McCain, a prisoner of battle in Vietnam, was a hero as a result of Trump appreciated “people who weren’t captured.” Throughout his political profession, Trump has been accused of disregarding longstanding norms on avoiding attacking present or previous servicemembers or folks in a politician’s household.

Michael Haley started a yearlong stint in June with the South Carolina Army National Guard. Haley is being deployed as a employees officer with the 218th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, which the National Guard says is offering help within the Horn of Africa.

Shortly after Trump’s feedback, Michael Haley posted a meme on his personal X account with an image of a wolf and the textual content: “The difference between humans and animals? Animals would never allow the dumbest ones to lead the pack.” Nikki Haley’s marketing campaign confirmed the account belonged to her husband.

Trump has mentioned he prevented service within the Vietnam War by means of pupil and medical deferments. And Trump’s spouse, former first girl Melania Trump, has been absent from the marketing campaign path and has not appeared with him at a public marketing campaign occasion since his announcement speech.

Haley has pushed Trump to debate her as she seeks to vary the trajectory of the race after the previous president and heavy front-runner received the primary three major states. She once more challenged him at a marketing campaign cease Saturday evening.

“Donald, if you have something to say, don’t say it behind my back. Get on a debate stage and say it to my face,” she advised a crowd.

Haley’s surrogates additionally wasted no time addressing Saturday’s feedback.

“When you start talking about a veteran serving overseas, I don’t care if you know them or not, that should make your heart sick,” mentioned state Rep. Chris Wooten, who launched Haley at a night rally.

Haley expressed pleasure in her husband’s service, including that each navy partner is aware of navy careers are a “family sacrifice.” As she has continuously carried out in speeches over the previous yr, Haley recounted her husband’s issue readjusting to life after his deployment to Afghanistan. He couldn’t tolerate loud noises, she mentioned, and couldn’t stand crowds.

People like her husband make such sacrifices “because they still believe in this amazing experiment that is America,” she mentioned.

“If they’re willing to sacrifice for us, shouldn’t we be willing to fight for America here? Because we have a country to save,” mentioned Haley, closing out her speech.

Pollard is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit nationwide service program that locations journalists in native newsrooms to report on undercovered points.