Haley takes on fellow Republicans over government spending in speech to top GOP donors

CNN
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Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, in a speech to top GOP donors, on Saturday took aim at her own political party for allowing what she describes as excessive government spending, according to a copy of her speech obtained by CNN.

At a private retreat in Palm Beach, Florida, hosted by the conservative anti-tax group Club for Growth, Haley was scheduled to shoot former President Donald Trump, who was not invited to the event and instead had to do front page of the conservative political newspaper. Action Conference outside Washington, DC on Saturday.

“I know there’s a Republican candidate you didn’t invite to this conference,” reads the speech from Haley, who has been reluctant to directly attack Trump since launching his 2024 presidential campaign last month. “I appreciate being the one you invited.”

Trump was the only major 2024 prospect not invited to the Club for Growth event. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is set to launch his own presidential bid, spoke at the retreat on Thursday. Haley spoke at both the Club for Growth retreat and CPAC, which this year featured key Trump allies and several members of his family. After Haley spoke at CPAC on Friday, she was heckled by several Trump supporters, who chanted, “We love Trump!” as she posed for photos with attendees.

Haley’s speech in Florida on Saturday did not name any Republican politicians, but the former UN ambassador and twice-elected former South Carolina governor was to call the group of 158 House Republicans who she said had “voted to keep this ‘gateway drug’ of wasteful spending” in the form of appropriations.

“Isn’t the Club for Growth known for supporting major Republican squishy challenges?” If Republicans don’t stand up for sanity and economic freedom, no one will,” Haley was to say, adding, “I’m not afraid to call out my fellow Republicans.

Haley’s speech slammed Democrats, including President Joe Biden, whom she accused of pushing “socialist” policies and “wasting taxpayers’ money,” echoing her campaign rhetoric since launching his candidacy. But her speech also criticized some Republicans, who she said were equally responsible for the spending.

“Obviously, the socialist left hates economic freedom. But the same goes for some of our fellow Republicans,” the presidential candidate was to say. “They denigrate capitalism almost as much as Elizabeth Warren. You will never hear that from me.

“It’s insane that Joe Biden got a free pass on this socialist spending spree. But a big part of the reason is that Republicans haven’t toed the line — or even upheld the conservative market principles that they claim to support.

Haley’s focus on government spending came the day after Trump released a plan calling for major new federal investments, including the construction of 10 new “freedom cities” on unused federal land and the asks Congress to provide “baby bonuses” to help young parents raise their children. . Trump also called for investing in the development of flying cars, saying, “I want to make sure America, not China, leads this air mobility revolution.”

This story and title have been updated with additional information.