US presidential nomination hopeful Nikki Haley has criticised Donald Trump for his latest remarks about Black Americans. The former US president, known for his contentious comments every now and then, said the plethora of legal cases against him made him more relatable to the Black voters.
Responding to Trump’s statement, Haley said she found it offensive and ‘disgusting’.
“It’s disgusting. But, that’s what happens when he goes off the teleprompter. That’s the chaos that comes with Donald Trump,” Haley was quoted as saying by AFP.
“That’s the offensiveness that’s going to happen every day between now and the general election, which is why I continue to say Donald Trump cannot win a general election,” she added.
Notably, Trump made the controversial statement on Friday (Feb 23) at the Black Conservative Federation’s annual gala where he received the Champion of Black America honour.
“Black people like me because they have been hurt so badly and discriminated against, and they actually viewed me as I’m being discriminated against,” said Trump.
Trump also added that Black voters liked his jail mugshot from Georgia more than anyone else.
“The mug shot, we’ve all seen the mug shot, and you know who embraced it more than anybody else? The Black population. It’s incredible,” he said.
Watch: ‘A vote for Nikki Haley is a vote for Joe Biden’: Trump in South Carolina
Trump wins South Carolina
Despite his rather unorthodox comments, Trump managed to emerge victorious in the South Carolina primary by beating Haley on her home turf.
According to US media reports, Trump managed to win 58.5 per cent votes, compared to Haley’s 41 per cent.
Despite suffering another setback, Haley has vowed to ‘keep fighting’ as she is the only other Republican candidate left in the fray as the likes of Vivek Ramaswamy and Ron DeSantis called it quits previously.
“I said earlier this week that no matter what happens in South Carolina, I would continue to run for president,” said Haley.
“I’m a woman of my word,” she added. “I’m not giving up this fight when a majority of Americans disapprove of both Donald Trump and Joe Biden.”
The Haley camp is now looking forward to Super Tuesday, which falls on March 5 this year and refers to the date when the most number of US states hold primaries and caucuses.
(With inputs from agencies)
