Kristen Welker with NBC News’ Meet The Press repeatedly pushed Nikki Haley (R-SC) on whether or not she was still bound by the RNC “loyalty pledge” to support Donald Trump if he is the party’s nominee for president.
Then-RNC chair Ronna McDaniels mandated that all candidates sign the pledge promising to back the eventual GOP nominee before they could set foot on the first debate stage. But she has since resigned from her post.
Welker cited Haley’s escalating attacks against Trump, and asked, “Have you taken the prospect, the possibility of endorsing [Trump] off the table at this point?”
Haley answered, “It’s not anything I think about — ”
“But, is it off the table, Ambassador?” Welker pressed. “It sounds like you’re in a different place. Are people misinterpreting what you’re saying? Have you moved to a place where you no longer plan to endorse him?” Haley answered:
HALEY: First of all, if you talk about an endorsement, you’re talking about a loss. I don’t think like that.
WELKER: Let me try it this way: you did sign a pledge, an RNC pledge, to support the eventual nominee. Do you still feel bound by that pledge?
HALEY: “I have always said that I have serious concerns about Donald Trump. I have even more concerns about Joe Biden.”
WELKER: So, is that a No? Are you bound by the RNC pledge?
HALEY: The RNC pledge, I mean, at the time of the debate, we had to take it to, “Would you support the nominee?” And you had to. In order to get on that debate stage, you said yes. The RNC now is not the same RNC. Now it’s —
WELKER: So, you’re no longer bound by the pledge?
HALEY: No, I think I’ll make what decision I make, but that’s not something I’m thinking about…
WELKER: It sounds like what you’re saying is that you’re leaning against endorsing Donald Trump. Can you just put a little bit of clarity? Are you leaning against endorsing Donald Trump at this point?”
HALEY: I truly am not thinking about any of that. And, you know, I mean, look —
WELKER: You’re not taking it off the table?
Haley finally squelched the talk of endorsements, saying, “I am running because it’s not about Trump. I voted for him twice, I was proud to support America in his administration. This is not a ‘Never Trump’ movement. This is the fact that I see America going into a bad direction…We need to stop this direction and go in a new direction where we can be safe, healthy, economic freedom, freedom of all types, so that we can have Americans feeling like they have the government working for them again.”
Watch the clip above via NBC News.
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