We have seen a whole lot of flip-flopping, lies, confusion and misinformation come out of the Trump administration. This week though Nikki Haley wasn’t having it and she stood up for herself, a rare move for someone so closely connected to Donald Trump. Now will the U.N. Ambassador stay and fight the good fight or is it better to resign and step away from the chaos?
It all began when Haley said on Sunday the U.S. was about to announce more sanctions against Russia for its support of the Syrian dictator Assad. Donald Trump saw her remarks on television and reportedly disagreed. Monday the White House quickly walked back the sanctions notion with new WH Economic Adviser Larry Kudlow saying, “She [Haley] got ahead of the curve…there might have been some momentary confusion about that.” After that comment, Haley shot back remarking, “With all due respect, I don’t get confused.”
I know it was like 12 news cycles ago at this point, but @nikkihaley quote "With all due respect, I don't get confused" should go down as one of the best by a female leader. Ever. Said so much, with so few words.
— Dana Bash (@DanaBashCNN) April 18, 2018
Haley’s response prompted another rarity from this White House, someone actually said I’m sorry. The Associated Press reports, “A White House official said Kudlow, the director of the National Economic Council, called Haley to apologize Tuesday afternoon in an effort to mend fences.” Case closed? Not so fast. Many commentators say the damage has already been done.
Political commentator S.E. Cupp writes:
“I’m not prone to cry sexism, and I don’t do it often or lightly.
But there’s no other word to describe the way President Donald Trump and his advisers have treated a woman who is arguably his strongest, most competent and effective Cabinet official.Nikki Haley, US ambassador to the United Nations, was not only hung out to dry by the Trump administration, she was then dismissed and head-patted by an old boys’ club Trump adviser who thought he could. And it was shameful.”
“Now is the time for Haley to do the hard thing—but the right thing for the country and for herself: Get out and show that America still has leaders whose outrage at the slaughter of innocents will not be silenced. Get out before her very bright future is sullied by the Trump Taint.”
Trump has shattered Nikki Haley’s credibility as irrevocably as he obliterated his moral authority after Charlottesville. Trump has humiliated her and she is at a fork in the road. Her choice is either to resign or take on the permanent stench of one more tainted factotum .
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) April 18, 2018
@nikkihaley is the only person, I can readily think of, whose gravitas and credibility have gone up not down, as a result of bing part of the Trump (mis)Administration. https://t.co/t9LVMq6zAS
— Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@ananavarro) April 18, 2018