Nikki Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and a former governor of South Carolina, is planning to announce a bid for the presidency in the coming days, according to multiple reports.
South Carolina’s Post and Courier reported Tuesday night an invitation directed to Haley’s supporters is imminent, which will detail a “special event” on Feb. 15 at a visitor center in Charleston. The Washington Post added Haley could release a video outlining her plans as soon as this week, making her the second candidate for the GOP nomination in 2024 and the first to openly declare against former President Donald Trump.
Her bid would signal a notable shift in the race for the White House. Trump is the lone candidate to announce a campaign so far and other high-profile names have eased their own efforts in caution so as not to draw the ire of the former president, who still holds a commanding grip over Republican voters despite waning support from party leaders. The GOP still expects bids from former Vice President Mike Pence and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who could launch their own campaigns in the coming months.
Haley has hinted at a run in recent days, despite previous pledges not to challenge Trump if he sought another term in the White House. She appeared on Fox News last month, saying the country needed “new leadership” rather than another term from President Joe Biden.
“And can I be that leader?” she said at the time. “Yes, I think I can be that leader.”
“When you’re looking at the future of America, I think it’s time for new generational change,” she added. “I don’t think you need to be 80 years old to go be a leader in D.C.”
Trump kicked off his bid last month, making stops in New Hampshire and South Carolina — both early voting states. The effort comes amid ongoing legal woes, including reports the Manhattan district attorney is preparing to present evidence on the former president’s business dealings to a grand jury.
“I’m more angry now and I’m more committed now than I ever was,” he told party leaders at the time.