Haley Campaign Press Release - Haley in Utah: The Republican Party Should Be About Principle, Not One Person

OREM, Utah — At a press gaggle in Utah yesterday, Nikki Haley talked about how the Republican Party should be about conservative principles, not one person, and declared her support for a Republican Party that still believes in fiscal discipline, limited government, and the idea of peace through strength. She condemned Trump's efforts to turn the Republican National Committee into his legal slush fund instead of focusing on helping all Republicans get elected.

Haley on the direction of the Republican Party...

"So the reason this is so important is it's a primary. And in a primary, you're deciding which direction the Republican Party is going to go. Which direction is the country going to go? So what you're looking at with this change, and we're also seeing it as McConnell goes to the other side, is we now have a Republican Party that is shifting.

"The Republican Party now doesn't say anything about fiscal discipline. The Republican Party started under Donald Trump where they spent $8 trillion in debt in just four years more than any other president. But it set the tone because what happened? Republicans went and opened up earmarks and pet projects for the first time in 10 years. In the 2024 appropriations budget, you can't ignore Republicans spent $7.4 billion on earmarks and Democrats spent $2.8 billion. At no point is Donald Trump talking about shrinking government. It expanded under his watch. At no point is he talking about shrinking our agencies. They expanded under his watch. At no point is he talking about wasteful spending. They've continued to do more.

"And we're also seeing a shift in the Republican Party on national security. We used to be peace through strength. We used to believe in our alliances. We used to understand that America could never be so arrogant to think we don't need friends. And now you're watching a Republican Party that's going more towards isolationism, thinking that we'll just stay in our own bubble. But the Republican Party I believe in, believes you're better together with an alliance. The Republican Party I believe in believes that when you go out and you become in your bubble that you put yourselves more at war, not less."

Haley on the RNC supporting only Donald Trump and not down ballot races...

"And then we have to talk about the Republican Party itself, the RNC. So if Donald Trump's going to take over the RNC, then what does that mean? Now, Lara Trump said the RNC is now just about Donald Trump. So I assume that means that the Republican Party is shifting, that before it was supposed to support races up and down the ticket, now it's just about supporting Donald Trump.

"And what's going to happen when that happens? Does it become his legal slush fund? Are you going to ask the question about what happens with that resolution that says you can't spend it on legal fees? He's very upset about that resolution. But what I would tell you is all Americans and Republicans especially, deserve a vote on the record on that resolution. We deserve to know how the RNC is going to spend their money and if it's going to go towards legal fees. He's very upset about that resolution. But what I would tell you is all Americans, and Republicans especially, deserve a vote on the record on that resolution. We deserve to know how the RNC is going to spend their money and if it's going to go towards legal fees.

"So the Republican Party that I am seeing happen is one that isn't focused on fiscal discipline, is one that isn't focused on national security, and is one that's becoming more about one is one that isn't focused on national security, and is one that's becoming more about one man instead of about a party."