Nikki Haley Faces Backlash Over Recent Civil War Remarks by Trump MAGA PAC: ‘Struggling’

In a scathing rebuke, the MAGA PAC supporting former President Donald Trump declared that Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley is ‘clearly not ready for primetime,’ as per The Hill . The criticism comes on the heels of Haley’s controversial response during a town hall in New Hampshire, where she failed to acknowledge slavery as the cause of the Civil War. The MAGA PAC minced no words, issuing a statement to make its sentiments clear: “Nikki Haley is struggling.”

According to the PAC’s statement, Haley not only omitted the pivotal role of slavery in the Civil War but also demonstrated confusion about geography, mistakenly placing Dubuque in New Hampshire. The PAC’s verdict was blunt: “Haley is clearly not ready for primetime.”

This condemnation adds to a growing chorus of bipartisan critics who have taken issue with Haley’s remarks. All of this occurred when a New Hampshire voter asked the GOP candidate about the cause of the Civil War, but Haley’s response centered around government functioning and individual freedoms, with no mention of slavery. Haley stated, “Well, don’t come with an easy question, right? I mean, I think the cause of the Civil War was basically how government was going to run, the freedoms, and what people could and couldn’t do.” The voter expressed ‘astonishment’ that slavery was not discussed, and Haley asked, “What do you want me to say about slavery?” To this, the voter said, “You answered my question. Thank you.”

Haley’s attempt to deflect blame by characterizing the person who asked the Civil War question as a ‘Democrat plant’ did not sit well with political observers either. The MAGA PAC emphasized that the problem lies in Haley’s response, ‘not the question itself,’ reinforcing its assertion that she is ill-prepared for the national stage. Other political strategists and commentators argued that presidential candidates should be adept at handling such inquiries.

Fellow Republicans also voiced their disapproval. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ‘ campaign posted a video of Haley’s remarks with a succinct caption: “Yikes.” Rep. Byron Donalds, a Trump supporter, insisted that the answer to the question was ‘slavery, period,’ underlining the consensus that Haley’s misstep could have repercussions for her campaign.

As the criticism mounted, Haley sought to clarify her stance, acknowledging that the Civil War was indeed about slavery but emphasizing the contemporary significance of freedom, as per CBS News . She said on a radio show, “I mean, of course, the Civil War was about slavery. We know that—that’s, that’s the easy part of it. What I was saying was, what does it mean to us today? What it means to us today is about freedom. That’s what that was all about.”

The fallout from this incident could pose a threat to Haley’s campaign, especially as she seemed to be gaining momentum in New Hampshire , a crucial state with its GOP primary just around the corner. Recent polling indicates a narrowing gap between Haley and Trump in the state.

Haley’s response during the town hall has sparked widespread discussion on social media, with President Biden himself weighing in to assert, “It was about slavery.” Jaime Harrison, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee , criticized Haley and the MAGA GOP for attempting to rewrite history and avoiding a straightforward condemnation of slavery.