'Sign of courage': Internet hails Nikki Haley as she slams Trump for 'praising dictators' like Xi Jinping

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA: Nikki Haley blasted former President Donald Trump's admiration for Chinese President Xi Jinping, calling it 'not normal' in a scathing X post on Monday, February 5.

The former South Carolina governor, who is Trump’s last remaining rival for the Republican presidential nomination, wrote on X, “Praising dictators is not normal. Make America normal again.”

What prompted Haley to come out with the incendiary tweet?

Nikki Haley, the former United States ambassador to the United Nations, responded to Trump's comments during a recent interview regarding the Chinese head of state, whom the former POTUS described as a "very good friend", while simultaneously threatening to increase tariffs on Chinese imports, according to The Hill.

Fox News host, Maria Bartiromo, asked the former president on her show ‘Sunday Morning Futures’ if he would be willing to impose tariffs of 60% on all Chinese imports.

This question was in response to recent reports that had suggested such a move from Trump upon re-election to the White House come November.

“I would say, no, I would say maybe it’s going to be more than that because we’re going to have to … Look, I want China to do great, I do,” Trump replied. “And I like President Xi a lot. He was a very good friend of mine during my term.”

“I got along with him great. I’m not sure he loved what I was doing,” Trump continued, before stating that he does not believe Xi wants him back in the Oval Office.

Haley's presidential campaign has placed significant emphasis on foreign policy. The 52-year-old Republican lawmaker repeatedly criticized Trump's apparent affinity for foreign dictators.

Trump's effusive praise for Chinese President Xi Jinping, whom he described as "smart, brilliant, everything perfect," and as a leader who governs China "with an iron fist," is a case in point.

Similarly, Trump has spoken positively about Russian President Vladimir Putin, claiming that he was the "apple of (Putin's) eye" during his presidency.

In the same interview on Sunday, Trump sought to clarify that he does intend to initiate another trade war with China.

“Not a trade war. I did great with China, with everything. China came in, they were going to destroy our steel industry, and I put tariffs, big tariffs,” Trump claimed.

“And they stopped it. I have steel people, that every time they see me, they start to cry, they hugged me. They said, ‘You saved our industry.’ But now, we’re letting it go.”

In 2018, during Trump's presidency, he imposed a tariff of 25% on foreign steel and 10% on aluminum.

Later, the World Trade Organization ruled that it violated global trade rules.

Haley, while on the presidential campaign trail, warned about the threat China poses to American security and prosperity.

She condemned Chinese communism and pointed out that Trump was too focused on the US-China trade relationship and did not pay enough attention to the rest of the Chinese threat.

The former president maintains a significant lead over his opponent, Nikki Haley, in the race for the Republican Party's presidential nomination.

Despite Haley's efforts to reverse her fortunes in her home state's primary later this month, national polling indexes from The Hill and Decision Desk HQ indicate that Trump enjoys a substantial advantage.

Specifically, Trump leads Haley by 57.2 points in national polling, while his lead in Haley's home state of South Carolina is 30.8 points.

Internet sides with Haley in her evaluation of Trump’s affinity with foreign dictators

People on X agreed with the former South Carolina governor's assessment behind the former president’s praise of Chinese President Xi Jinping in her tweet on Monday.

One X user remarked, “One thing I do agree with her on".

Another user wrote, "She’s absolutely right".

Another user lamented, "She should have started this a long time ago."

One user said, "Nikki is starting to channel her inner Chris Christie, attacking Trump. This is a sign of courage/leadership not followership."

Another X user remarked, "Ummm, this is not new behavior. He has been enamored with dictators since before he was elected. While you worked for him & supported his craziness. Just NOW you decide it's not normal?"

Finally, this user tweeted, "On this I agree."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.