Nikki Haley: Media Inciting ‘Nonstop Republican Civil War’ Over Loyalty to Trump

In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, Nikki Haley said the left-wing media seeks to incite “nonstop Republican civil war” by forcing Republicans to either unequivocally praise or denounce former President Donald Trump.

Haley, a former UN Ambassador and South Carolina governor, wrote that Republicans can praise Trump’s police achievements while condemning his conduct, The Epoch Times reported.

“The moment anyone on the right offers the slightest criticism of the 45th president, the media goes berserk: Republicans are trying to have it both ways! It’s a calculated strategy to pit conservatives against one another,” she wrote. “It’s also a ridiculous false choice.”

Even as Haley accuses the media of dividing Republicans, her comments in an interview with Politico last week caused factions to deepen.

“He went down a path he shouldn’t have, and we shouldn’t have followed him, and we shouldn’t have listened to him. And we can’t let that ever happen again,” she said, likely referring to Trump’s claim that Biden did not win a constitutional and legitimate election and the unfounded belief that Trump incited violence at the Capitol.

Haley appealed to Trump’s approach to politics, arguing that he rejected an all-or-nothing approach to relationships.

“Some Never Trump and Always Trump Republicans also attack anyone who doesn’t join the all-or-nothing chorus,” she wrote. “That’s not how I saw Mr. Trump conduct himself when I worked with him in the White House, where he engaged in internal debates, welcomed disagreements, and at times changed his mind.”

She said the partisan approach to Trump only helps the media.

“We separate into two camps that always hate each other. We become estranged from family and friends over politics,” she wrote. “Is that really what the anti-Trump media wants? Maybe. Hatred and polarization draw attention, ratings, and clicks. But what’s good for them is bad for America.”