What Did Nikki Haley Just Say About Running For President In 2024?

For a large part of her career as a politician, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley hasn't exactly been known for sticking to her guns, per se. Haley, who served as a diplomat under the Donald Trump administration following her last gubernatorial term — switching from a vocal Trump detractor to a MAGA loyalist after Trump secured the presidency in 2016 — has repeatedly made headlines for flip-flopping on her stances. Most recently, her name was thrown into the news cycle after she criticized President Joe Biden for negotiating with the Taliban in preparation for the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, a practice Haley heavily participated in as a diplomatic envoy under Trump. But unlike Haley's prior rounds of yo-yo, her recent example of waffling could put her in the direct path of Trump's ire — all over a possible bid in 2024.

In an interview published by The Wall Street Journal on October 5, Haley hinted at a possible game plan for the next presidential election — one which she had, prior to the interview, stated she would not take part in if Trump were to throw his hat in the ring, per Yahoo! News. So what's Haley's plan for 2024? And is there a chance she might find herself in the crosshairs of the former president's rage?

Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Nikki Haley seemingly reversed her prior stance on whether or not she would entertain running for president in 2024, which she previously said she would defer to Donald Trump and skip out on campaigning if he were to do so. Contrary to her earlier statements, Haley told WSJ a much different story — this time, stating she would approach the possibility directly, but with caution. "In the beginning of 2023, should I decide that there's a place for me ... I would pick up the phone and meet with the president," said Haley. "I would talk to him and see what his plans are. I would tell him about my plans. We would work on it together."

Though the idea of Trump cooperating with anyone at all — let alone Haley — may be hard to imagine, it seems the former South Carolina governor is doing everything in her power to stay in his good graces. Haley was thick with praise throughout her interview, stating, "I don't want us to go back to the days before Trump." Her latest remarks greatly contrast to ones made in 2016, per USA Today, shortly before Trump won the primary in her state: "I want someone who is going to hold Republicans accountable, and I want someone who is going to make a difference, not just for our party but for every person they represent in the country."