Nikki Haley hints at 2024 presidential run, while taking a dig at elderly politicians like Trump: 'We need to go in a new direction'
John Locher/AP
- Nikki Haley heavily hinted at a 2024 presidential bid in an interview with Fox News.
- She previously vowed not to run against Donald Trump, but said things have changed.
- Haley said politics need to go in a "new direction," adding that she could be the leader to do that.
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley dropped strong hints of a 2024 presidential bid on Thursday, calling for a "new direction" and more youthful leadership, despite a past pledge not to run against former President Donald Trump.
Appearing on "Special Report with Bret Baier" on Fox News, Haley stopped short of formally announcing her candidacy.
"I'm not going to make an announcement here," she said, later adding that she believes she fits the requirements for running for president.
When you're looking at a run for president, you look for two things, she said. "Does the current situation push for new leadership? [And] the second is: am I that person that could be that new leader?"
"We need to go in a new direction ... I think I can be that leader," she said.
—Fox News (@FoxNews) January 19, 2023
The news will come as a surprise for some.
In April 2021, Haley said she would not make a bid for the White House in 2024 if Trump was running. Trump announced his candidacy in November 2022, shortly after the midterms, when the Republican Party largely underperformed.
Explaining what had changed since her pledge to Trump, Haley told Fox News that America's survival is "bigger than one person," adding that it's time for a generation of younger leaders to take the reins.
"I don't think you need to be 80 years old to go be a leader in DC," she said.
Trump will be 78 in 2024. President Joe Biden will be 82.
Haley also told Fox News that the current political landscape had impacted her thinking.
"A lot has changed," she added. "And when I looked at that, I look at the fact that if I'm this passionate and I'm this determined, why not me?"
Though Trump is the only Republican to so far announce a 2024 presidential run, his influence on the GOP seems to be faltering amid political and legal troubles.
This could potentially pave the way for a crowded field of Republican contenders in 2024.
Insider has identified at least 17 people, including Haley, who could seek the Republican nomination in 2024. The list also includes Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Josh Hawley of Missouri, and Tim Scott of South Carolina.
Polls point to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as the one to watch, with the likes of former Vice President Mike Pence and Haley very distantly trailing him and Trump.