Former UN ambassador thinks Trump inciting a deadly riot is ‘no basis’ for impeachment: ‘Give him a break’
Former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley. (Austin McAfee/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Former US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley thinks Donald Trump should be given “a break” despite inciting the Capitol riots that killed five people.
Haley, a hardline Trump loyalist, told Fox News Monday (25 January) that “incitement of insurrection” is “no basis” to impeach the former president.
“I mean they beat him up before he got into office, they’re beating him up after he leaves office,” she told host Laura Ingraham.
“I mean at some point, I mean give the man a break.”
Nikki Haley: I don’t even think there’s a basis for impeachment… Now they’re going to turn around and bring about impeachment yet they say they’re for unity… I mean at some point I mean give the man a break. I mean move on… pic.twitter.com/IqnZrIDIY0
— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) January 26, 2021
Nikki Haley previously said there are ‘no excuses’ for Capitol riots.
It’s an about-turn from Haley’s previous comments on the carnage of the Capitol riots, where throngs of white supremacist groups tore through the Capitol complex, tarnishing invaluable artwork and damaging furniture with swaggering contempt.
“There are no excuses or defense for this moment,” Haley tweeted on 9 January.
“There is only one way forward. Those who broke the law must be punished.”
There are no excuses or defense for this moment. There is only one way forward. Those who broke the law must be punished. We must condemn those responsible. We must recommit ourselves to upholding our American ideals. And we must all promise: We will never let this happen again.— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) January 9, 2021
Haley, who was once triumphantly booed by New York City Pride-goers when she exited a restaurant, has a troubling track record on LGBT+ rights.
During her stint as the governor of South Carolina, she chipped away at the possibility of marriage equality by blocking lawsuits that sought to challenge its ban.
At the time, Haley said that she believes “marriage should be between a man and a woman”.
“I’m going to stand by the people of this state, stand by the constitution, I’m going to support it and fight for it every step of the way,” she added.
While Trump has since left the White House, his slavish image still looms over Congress as the Senate prepares for his second impeachment trial.
The House of Representatives, propelled by 10 deflecting Republican lawmakers, levelled articles of impeachment against Trump on the grounds of “incitement of insurrection”, charging him with high crimes and misdemeanours for a historic second time.
