Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has stated that she no longer feels obligated to honor a pledge that required all GOP contenders to support the party’s eventual nominee in order to participate in primary debates.
This pledge, established by the Republican National Committee (RNC), was signed by nearly every major candidate except for Donald Trump, who eventually became the front-runner and skipped the debates.
During an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Haley, Trump’s main remaining challenger for the nomination, was asked if she felt compelled to adhere to the commitment.
She responded, “No. I think I’ll make what decision I want to make.” Haley cited changes within the RNC, stating that it is not the same organization as it was during the time of the debates. She also reiterated her longstanding concerns about Trump, with whom she served as U.N. ambassador.
The RNC is currently undergoing significant changes, with chair Ronna McDaniel set to leave her position on Friday. Trump initially chose McDaniel to lead the RNC shortly after the 2016 election.
However, Trump is now expected to appoint loyalists to key organizational positions. He has expressed a preference for North Carolina GOP Chair Michael Whatley to replace McDaniel and has selected his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, to serve as committee co-chair.
