Trump says after Haley win that he ‘purposely stayed away’ from DC GOP primary

Former President Trump brushed off a GOP primary loss in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, saying after Nikki Haley claimed her first victory of the primary season that there was no “upside” to competing in the race.

“I purposely stayed away from the D.C. Vote because it is the ‘Swamp,’ with very few delegates, and no upside,” Trump said on Truth Social late Sunday. “Birdbrain spent all of her time, money and effort there. Over the weekend we won Missouri, Idaho, and Michigan – BIG NUMBERS – Complete destruction of a very weak opponent. The really big numbers will come on Super Tuesday.”

Haley took 62.8 percent of the vote to Trump’s 33.3 percent in the D.C. GOP primary, according to Decision Desk HQ results. The race comes just before the pivotal Super Tuesday contests.

Trump’s campaign press secretary, meanwhile, slammed Haley for the win, dubbing her “Queen of the Swamp.”

“Tonight’s results in Washington D.C. reaffirm the object of President Trump’s campaign — he will drain the swamp and put America first,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Sunday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. 

“While Nikki has been soundly rejected throughout the rest of America, she was just crowned Queen of the Swamp by the lobbyists and DC insiders that want to protect the failed status quo,” she continued. “The swamp has claimed their queen.”

Trump also hit Haley late Sunday for announcing that she no longer feels bound by the Republican National Committee’s loyalty pledge to support the GOP nominee.

“Birdbrain is a loser, record low performance in virtually every State,” Trump said on Truth Social. “I enjoy watching the Bird disavow her PLEDGE to the RNC and her statement that she would NEVER run against President Trump (“A great President”). Well, she ran, she lied, and she LOST BIG!”

Haley, who served as Trump’s United Nations ambassador, claimed earlier in the day that the party had changed since she signed the document promising to support the party’s eventual nominee.

Haley said “the RNC is now not the same RNC” as when she made the promise, adding she still has “serious concerns” about Trump’s candidacy.

Her remarks come after Trump announced a slate of RNC leadership candidates, including his daughter-in-law.