Nikki Haley Claims She Told Trump She Didn’t Want Cabinet Post
Nikki Haley has revealed that she informed a senior member of President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team that she had no desire to hold a position in his Cabinet.
During her Sirius XM radio show, “Nikki Haley Live,” the former U.N. ambassador under Trump recounted a conversation with Steve Witkoff, who is set to serve as Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East. According to Haley, Witkoff expressed interest in brokering a “truce” between her and Trump.
“I told him at the time, there was no truce needed, that I had — that Trump had my support, there was no issues on my end,” Haley recalled.
She added that Witkoff then asked her directly, “‘What do you want? Tell me what you want. Is there anything you want?’ And I said, ‘There’s nothing I want.’ And there wasn’t anything I wanted.”
Haley’s unwavering support for Trump wasn’t always apparent. Questions arose during the 2016 election about whether she would back him after he secured the Republican nomination. Initially seen as a less-than-enthusiastic ally, Haley ultimately gave Trump her “strong endorsement” during a speech at the Republican National Convention that summer.
On the podcast, Haley emphasized that her stance was consistent. “Basically four times between July and Election Day, I had said that because I meant it,” she explained, reiterating that she had no intentions of serving in the Trump administration despite endorsing him.
“I had no interest in being in [Trump’s] Cabinet. He knew that,” Haley stated.
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Just days before Haley’s comments aired, Trump made a post on Truth Social clarifying that neither Haley nor former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would have roles in his administration.
“I will not be inviting former Ambassador Nikki Haley, or former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, to join the Trump Administration, which is currently in formation,” Trump wrote on Nov. 9. “I very much enjoyed and appreciated working with them previously, and would like to thank them for their service to our Country. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Haley also shared during the podcast that she had spoken directly with Howard Lutnick, the head of Trump’s transition team, offering her insights on suitable candidates for critical positions.
Thus far, Trump’s transition team has successfully filled 12 of the administration’s 26 positions, leaving 14 more roles to be decided. Some speculate whether Trump will continue appointing staunch MAGA advocates or opt for a more moderate lineup, particularly given Haley’s reported advice on upcoming selections.
This update follows several major announcements this week.
President-elect Trump confirmed that prominent businessmen Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will join his administration. The two will co-chair the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, a role aligned with their vocal support during Trump’s campaign for shrinking the federal government’s influence.
“I am pleased to announce that the Great Elon Musk, working in conjunction with American Patriot Vivek Ramaswamy, will lead the Department of Government Efficiency [DOGE],” Trump announced via Truth Social.
The acronym ‘DOGE’ shares its name with a cryptocurrency Musk has frequently championed.
“Together, these two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies,” Trump stated.
Rather than functioning as a formal government entity, the Department of Government Efficiency will “provide advice and guidance from outside of government” while collaborating with the White House and the Office of Management and Budget on structural reforms, as reported by ABC News.
“‘This will send shockwaves through the system, and anyone involved in Government waste, which is a lot of people!’ stated Mr. Musk,” the announcement concluded.