Trump dismisses former presidential rival Nikki Haley as a potential running mate: 'Not under consideration'

Nikki Haley campaigns in South Carolina. Win McNamee/Getty Images

• Donald Trump appeared to close the door on Nikki Haley as a potential vice president.
• "Nikki Haley is not under consideration for the V.P. slot, but I wish her well!" he said.
• Trump's remark came after an earlier report that Haley was in the mix for VP.

Former President Donald Trump on Saturday threw cold water on any speculation that he was considering ex-presidential rival Nikki Haley as his running mate, saying she was "not under consideration."

Trump made the remarks on his Truth Social platform following an earlier Axios report, which cited unnamed sources, that the ex-president would consider Haley if he felt she could help him win the general election and cover his legal fees should he lose.

Just hours after the article was published, Trump went online to set the record straight on his vice presidential search.

"Nikki Haley is not under consideration for the V.P. slot, but I wish her well!" the former president wrote.

Haley, a former South Carolina governor and onetime UN ambassador under Trump, exited the GOP primary after the former president won multiple primaries and caucuses across the country on Super Tuesday.

As a candidate, Haley sought to nudge Republican voters toward a future without Trump, making a case that she'd be the face of GOP generational change while also looking to appeal to conservatives, moderates, and independents who were leery of the former president.

But Haley, similar to former fellow challengers like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, was unable to break through Trump's hold on the GOP electorate.

Earlier in Haley's campaign, she largely steered clear of direct attacks on Trump. But as the primary contests neared, she took on the former president directly, noting that his legal troubles could endanger the GOP in the fall. She also brought up his advanced age.

When Haley left the race, she did not throw her support behind Trump's reelection bid and gave no timeline for a potential endorsement. Biden, who praised Haley after she ended her campaign, has sought to appeal to her former supporters.

And despite her departure from the GOP race, Haley continues to win thousands of primary votes, particularly in critical suburban and exurban counties where Democrats have made considerable inroads in recent election cycles.

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