Nikki Haley slams Trump’s ‘disgusting’ comments about Black people : NPR

Republican presidential candidate former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley talks to the media after voting Saturday in Kiawah Island, S.C. Haley called former President Donald Trump’s comments about Black voters “disgusting.”

Chris Carlson/AP

hide caption

toggle caption

Chris Carlson/AP

Republican presidential candidate former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley talks to the media after voting Saturday in Kiawah Island, S.C. Haley called former President Donald Trump’s comments about Black voters “disgusting.”

Chris Carlson/AP

Nikki Haley called comments Donald Trump made about Black people at an event Friday “disgusting” and proof Republicans would lose the presidential race if he’s the nominee.

Speaking at the Black Conservative Federation Gala in Columbia, S.C., Friday night, former President Donald Trump made a series of inflammatory comments about Black voters, including suggesting that Black voters support him because of his criminal indictments, that they have “embraced” his mug shot and that he could only see Black people in the audience because of how bright the stage lights were.

“Black people are so much on my side now because they see what’s happening to me happens to them,” Trump said about his various indictments. “Does that make sense?”

From left, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., and Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, right, appear on stage as Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at the Black Conservative Federation’s Annual BCF Honors Gala in Columbia, S.C., Friday.

Andrew Harnik/AP

hide caption

toggle caption

Andrew Harnik/AP

From left, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., and Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, right, appear on stage as Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at the Black Conservative Federation’s Annual BCF Honors Gala in Columbia, S.C., Friday.

Andrew Harnik/AP

Haley, speaking to reporters after casting her vote in the South Carolina primary Saturday near her home in Kiawah Island, S.C., said the comments are the latest example of a “huge warning sign” if he’s the GOP nominee.

“It’s disgusting, but that’s what happens when he goes off the teleprompter,” Haley said to reporters after voting on Kiawah Island. “That’s the chaos that comes with Donald Trump. 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. He won’t.”

Haley’s argument to voters is that Trump is a candidate of chaos that will only hurt the Republican Party come November.

She is currently lagging in the polls behind Trump in South Carolina and nationwide as the primary contest continues next week in Michigan.

Newsportu’s Sarah McCammon contributed reporting to this article.