Haley Campaign Press Release - VIDEO: Trump's Embrace of Dictators Puts America at Risk

CHARLESTON, S.C. — The Nikki Haley campaign rolled out a welcome present ahead of Donald Trump's visits to North Carolina and Virginia, reminding voters that his embrace of dictators is a recipe for more war, not less. The mobile billboards in Greensboro, North Carolina and Richmond, Virginia will play a new video contrasting Trump's weakness with Nikki Haley's iron strength.

"Donald Trump isn't just flirting with dictators, he's openly encouraging them to invade our allies. His weak-kneed approach makes America less safe and encourages war," said Haley national spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas. "Putin and Xi are not good people. They are murderers and thugs, and we need a president who meets their aggression and terrorism with American strength and resolution."

Trump's effusive praise includes encouraging Putin to invade our NATO allies, praising Chinese President Xi Jinping during COVID, absolving North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un of Otto Warmbier's death, and complimenting the Iran-backed terrorist group, Hezbollah, right after the October 7 attack on Israel.

Trump's embrace of dictators:

Dec. 20, 2015: "In all fairness to Putin, you're saying he killed people, I haven't seen that. I don't know that he has. Have you been able to prove that? Do you know the names of the reporters that he killed?"

April 27, 2017: "He [Xi Jinping] certainly doesn't want to see turmoil and death. He doesn't want to see it. He is a good man. He is a very good man and I got to know him very well."

April 30, 2017: "At a very young age, he [Kim Jong-Un] was able to assume power. A lot of people, I'm sure, tried to take that power away, whether it was his uncle or anybody else. And he was able to do it. So obviously, he's a pretty smart cookie."

Sept. 21 2017: "Thank you very much. It's a great honor and privilege – because he's become a friend of mine – to introduce President Erdogan of Turkey. He's running a very difficult part of the world. He's involved very, very strongly and, frankly, he's getting very high marks."

Sept. 29, 2018: "[Kim] wrote me beautiful letters and they're great letters. We fell in love."

Feb. 28, 2019: "I don't believe that he [Kim] would have allowed that to happen… And some really bad things happened to Otto — some really, really bad things. But he tells me that he didn't know about it, and I will take him at his word."

April 2, 2019: "President Xi, who is a strong man, I call him King, he said, 'But I am not King, I am president.' I said, 'No, you're president for life and therefore, you're King.' He said, 'Huh. Huh.' He liked that."

April 11, 2019: "Kim Jong-Un has been, really, somebody that I've gotten to know very well and respect, and hopefully – and I really believe that, over a period of time, a lot of tremendous things will happen."

June 29, 2019: "Well, thank you very much. It's my honor to be with a friend of mine, somebody I've become very close to, in many respects, and he's doing a very good job: the President of Turkey."

June 30, 2019: And I like President Xi a lot. I consider him a friend, and – but I like him a lot. I've gotten to know him very well. He's a strong gentleman, right? Anybody that – he's a strong guy, tough guy."

Oct. 1, 2019: "Congratulations to President Xi and the Chinese people on the 70th Anniversary of the People's Republic of China!"

Feb. 7, 2020: "I just spoke to President Xi last night, and, you know, we're working on the — the problem, the virus. It's a — it's a very tough situation. But I think he's going to handle it. I think he's handled it really well. We're helping wherever we can."

Feb. 27, 2020: "I spoke with President Xi. We had a great talk. He's working very hard, I have to say. He's working very, very hard. And if you can count on the reports coming out of China, that spread has gone down quite a bit. The infection seems to have gone down over the last two days. As opposed to getting larger, it's actually gotten smaller."

June 24, 2020: "China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!"

Nov. 11, 2023: "President Xi is like central casting. There's nobody in Hollywood who could play the role of President Xi. The look, the strength, the voice… And Kim Jong-Un he's a tough smart guy."

April 11, 2023: "These are top of line people at the top of their game. President Xi is a brilliant man… We had a great relationship. We get along so well. There was a great chemistry we had. Great. We talked about everything. A great chemistry."

May 28, 2023: "Congratulations to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his big and well-deserved victory in Turkey. I know him well, he is a friend, and have learned firsthand how much he loves his country and the great people of Turkey, which he has lifted to a new level of prominence and respect!"

Oct. 11, 2023: "You know Hezbollah is very smart—they're all very smart."

Nov. 18, 2023: "He walked up with a man who looks like a piece of granite, he's strong like granite, he's strong, I know him very well, President Xi of China. And he's standing there, you know he's a fierce—he's a fierce person. Now the press doesn't like it when I say good things about him, but, you know, what can I say: he runs 1.4 billion people with an iron hand." Feb. 11, 2024: "'Well sir, if we don't pay and we're attacked by Russia, will you protect us?' I said, 'You didn't pay? You're delinquent?' He said, 'Yes, let's say that happened.' No, I would not protect you. In fact I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay."