Last week we told you about Nikki Haley’s opposition to bills protecting young girls from being forced to share bathrooms with men who think they are women. Today we wanted to report on Nikki Haley’s inconsistency and swiftness in criticizing President Donald J. Trump over what the media called a “Muslim travel ban.” And, then, Haley tried to pivot when she spoke in front of the Council on Foreign Relations in 2017.
During her response to President Barack Obama’s 2016 State of the Union, Haley took up the talking points of the Republican Establishment to lash out at Trump for him essentially being mean.
In her response, Haley said:
“During anxious times, it can be tempting to follow the siren call of the angriest voices. We must resist that temptation.”
She also said the U.S. should welcome legal immigrants “regardless of their race or religion. Just like we have for centuries.”
She went on NBC’s Today show and continued to pile on:
“Mr. Trump has definitely contributed to what I think is just irresponsible talk.”
Haley told reporters the ban was “absolutely un-American” and “unconstitutional.” She said it “defies everything” America was based on. The policy was “an embarrassment” to Republicans, she added.
At the time, she was criticized by conservatives:
Nikki Haley says "welcoming properly vetted legal immigrants, regardless of religion." Translation: let in all the Muslims.
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) January 13, 2016
The country is lit up w/ a populist fever & the GOP responds by digging in, criticizing the GOP candidates dominating polls?! NOT SMART.
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) January 13, 2016
Trump also responded, calling Haley “weak on illegal immigration” despite having “no trouble” asking him for campaign contributions.
But Haley changed her tone in 2017 when she spoke at the Council on Foreign Relations. There, Haley said Trump’s ban wasn’t a ban based on religion.
“Well, we should never ban based on religion, I mean, period,” she said. “We should never. And I don’t think that’s what this is. If that were the case, there are another dozen, you know, Muslim countries that could have been on the list that are not on the list.”
Haley said the U.S. “will never close our doors.”
