Campaign

Haley team says it raked in $1M since Trump’s warning to donors

Republican presidential candidate former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley speaks during a campaign event at The North Charleston Coliseum, Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, in North Charleston, S.C. (AP Photo/Sean Rayford)

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley’s team said that it raked in $1 million since former President Trump warned donors to abstain from donating to her campaign or they would be barred from the “MAGA camp.” 

Haley’s campaign confirmed to The Hill Thursday that it has raised $1 million since Trump, the GOP primary front-runner, sent a direct threat to donors to abandon Haley’s White House bid. 

“Anybody that makes a ‘Contribution’ to Birdbrain, from this moment forth, will be permanently barred from the MAGA camp. We don’t want them, and will not accept them, because we Put America First, and ALWAYS WILL!” Trump wrote Wednesday, using the nickname “Birdbrain” to refer to Haley. 

Haley, who served in the Trump administration as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and her campaign responded by fundraising off his comments. 

“Enough said…Grab your shirt here!” Haley said Thursday in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. The campaign linked to a site where donors can give $5 to get a T-shirt that says “Barred. Permanently.” alluding to Trump’s initial warning. 

Trump won the New Hampshire primary, beating Haley by 11 points, according to Decision Desk HQ. After the win, the former president attacked Haley in his victory speech, going after her over her optimistic concession speech and outfit. 

“I have to tell you — it was very interesting, because I said, ‘Wow what a great victory,’ but then somebody ran up to the stage all dressed up nicely when it was at 7, but now I just walked up, and it was at 14,” Trump said Tuesday.

“Let’s not have somebody take a victory when she had a very bad night,” Trump said. “She had a very bad night.”

Following Trump’s initial warning to donors, ex-staffer Sarah Matthews donated to Haley’s campaign Wednesday. 

“Done,” Matthews wrote on X, leaving the link for others to donate to Haley’s campaign.