DeSantis, Haley speak out in favor of Trump at RNC convention after tense primary fight
MILWAUKEE – Two of Donald Trump’s former 2024 rivals and harshest critics, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, took the stage Tuesday on day two of the Republican National Convention and enthusiastically championed the ex-president in a stunning display of unity for the party.
The back-to-back speeches came towards the end of the night and were in line with Trump’s larger theme of “unity” that he announced after being nearly assassinated Saturday night.
Trump had prepared a “hot” speech at the convention, but tossed it aside after being shot, according to his son Donald Trump Jr.
Haley — who was Trump’s last remaining challenger for the GOP nomination — was invited to speak at the convention just days ago and was welcomed to the stage with a mix of cheers and boos, which demonstrated some of the deep divisions that remain.
“President Trump asked me to speak at this convention in the name of unity. It was a gracious invitation and I was happy to accept,” Haley, 52, began.
The former governor of South Carolina then quickly shot down any question about her loyalty, after the bitter primary challenge.
“I’ll start by making one thing perfectly clear: Donald Trump has my strong endorsement, period,” Haley declared.
The one-time presidential hopeful then spoke directly to her supporters and voters who might be hesitant about supporting the 45th president in a second run.
“My message to them is simple: You don’t have to agree with Trump 100% of the time to vote for him,” Haley said to loud applause.
The politician and diplomat, who served as the UN Ambassador under Trump, underscored the concern surrounding President Biden’s age and mental fitness.
“If we have four more years of Biden or a single day of Harris, our country will be badly worse off,” she said.
“For the sake of our nation, we have to go with Donald Trump.”
Haley also touted her former boss’ foreign policy record — highlighting that Russian President Vladimir Putin didn’t invade Ukraine under Trump and that he got the US out of the “insane” Iran nuclear deal, making them too “weak” to start any wars.
The picture painted a contrast with today’s Iran under Biden, which is supporting the terror group Hamas in its war on Israel.
“A strong president doesn’t start wars. A strong president prevents wars,” the one-time Trump rival declared.
The South Carolina Republican then argued that a “unified Republican Party” is “essential” to saving the country because Democrats are “putting our freedoms in danger.”
“We must not only be a unified party. We must also expand our party. We are so much better when we’re bigger. We are stronger when we welcome people into our party who have different backgrounds and experiences,” she continued.
Both DeSantis and Haley had endorsed Trump after dropping out of the primary. Haley, who dropped her bid after Super Tuesday, waited months to say she would vote for Trump, but eventually threw her weight behind the former president. She later released her 97 delegates to vote for Trump if they chose to do so at the convention.
DeSantis, 45, took the stage immediately after Haley to rapturous applause and proclaimed Republicans need to send Biden “back to his basement.”
The Sunshine State governor launched into full-scale criticism of the Biden administration, recalling the 13 service members who died during Biden’s disastrous Afghanistan pullout.
He labeled Biden a “figurehead” and a “tool” for imposing a leftist agenda.
Unlike Haley, DeSantis didn’t directly call for “unity” and instead focused on Biden’s weaknesses and Trump’s strengths.
“Donald Trump has been demonized. He’s been sued. He’s been prosecuted and he nearly lost his life. We cannot let him down, and we can not let America down,” he said to thunderous cheers.
He ended his speech by calling on Americans to “fight! fight! fight” — echoing Trump’s call after he was shot.
The Florida governor also made remarks Tuesday afternoon at a sideline event by RNC Mom’s for Liberty where he spoke out against California becoming the first state to ban gender notification policies, as well as the anti-Israel protests that took over college campuses across the nation.
DeSantis suspended his campaign right before the New Hampshire primary and immediately endorsed Trump despite the former president’s campaign launching personal attacks about his height and manners throughout the campaign – including allegations of him eating pudding with his fingers.
Trump had made peace with both candidates in the past, saying he sees Haley “on our team in some form” in the future, and reportedly telling DeSantis, “Ron, I love that you’re back.”
Former 2024 candidate Vivek Ramaswamy also spoke earlier Tuesday night, echoing the need for “unity.”
Standing on stage months after ending his run for the presidency, he joked that he “achieved the impossible” because “most of you know how to say my name.”
Ramaswamy dropped out right after the Iowa caucus results trickled in, which showed he did not get the support he expected in the first voting state. He immediately endorsed Trump and had some support in becoming Trump’s VP before the former president’s campaign shot down that possibility.
Now, with Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) being named Trump’s VP, Ramaswamy has said he would be open to replacing him in the Senate seat, or, if Trump chooses, serving in his administration if the GOP takes back the White House in November.
The millionaire also touted Trump’s agenda to close the southern border, restore law and order, boost the economy and “revive national pride.”
Ramaswamy said Trump will “unite this country. Not through empty words, but through action.”
“Because you know what, success is unifying. Excellence is unifying,” he said. “That’s who we are as Americans.”
