President Biden on Wednesday welcomed Nikki Haley supporters to back his reelection campaign as the former ambassador to the United Nations ended her bid for the Republican nomination.
“It takes a lot of courage to run for President — that’s especially true in today’s Republican Party, where so few dare to speak the truth about Donald Trump,” Biden said in a statement. “Nikki Haley was willing to speak the truth about Trump: about the chaos that always follows him, about his inability to see right from wrong, about his cowering before Vladimir Putin.”
“Donald Trump made it clear he doesn’t want Nikki Haley’s supporters. I want to be clear: There is a place for them in my campaign,” Biden added.
The president acknowledged significant policy disagreements between his campaign and those who supported Haley, but he pointed to “fundamental issues” like support for NATO and preserving democracy where the two sides could find common ground.
“We all know this is no ordinary election. And the stakes for America couldn’t be higher,” Biden said. “I know that Democrats and Republicans and Independents disagree on many issues and hold strong convictions. That’s a good thing. That’s what America stands for. But I also know this: what unites Democrats and Republicans and Independents is a love for America.”
Haley suspended her campaign Wednesday morning, clearing the way for Trump to become the GOP nominee for president and setting up a rematch between Trump and President Biden in November.
In remarks announcing the end of her campaign, Haley did not endorse Trump.
“It is now up to Donald Trump to earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it who did not support him, and I hope he does that,” she said. “At its best, politics is about bringing people into your cause, not turning them away. And our conservative cause badly needs more people. This is now his time for choosing.”
Trump posted on Truth Social as Haley made her announcement, chastising her for drawing support from Democrats in open primaries and accusing her of raising money from liberal donors before inviting Haley supporters to back his cause.