Nikki HaleyFormer U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and former rival of Donald Trump for the Republican nomination, disagrees with the Republican ticket on every issue.
Haley sat down for a wide-ranging interview with CBS News’ “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” sharing her thoughts on Trump’s proposal to mandatory coverage of in vitro fertilizationThe Trump campaign’s idea of expanding tax credits for people with children, and Trump’s running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance Controversial comments about ‘childless cat ladies’” . ”
“I don’t always agree with Trump,” Haley said. “I don’t have to like him or always agree with him to know that American lives would be better with strong immigration policies, with law and order, with an economy that fosters opportunity, with stronger national security. I don’t have to sit down and like someone to decide that those policies are better.”
Haley disagrees with Trump’s recent proposal to force insurance companies to cover in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments or have the government pay for them. She says mandatory coverage would only increase insurance costs.
Haley and her husband struggled with infertility, and she said she used fertility treatments to bring her now-adult daughter and son into the world.
“My two children are the fruit of fertility [treatments]“We want to make this option available to everyone. But the solution is not to mandate coverage. Instead, make sure coverage is accessible and do everything you can to make it affordable.”
For Americans with children, Haley was asked about Mr. Trump’s remarks during an economic speech Thursday that child care is “not very expensive, relatively speaking.” That’s not the reality for many Americans, Mr. Brennan noted.
Haley disagreed with Trump’s statement, saying that “child care is very expensive.”
But “when you talk about child tax credits, you’re picking winners and losers,” Haley said, insisting she would prefer tax cuts for all Americans.
Haley also took a stand against some Vance’s controversial comments about childless women, comments for which Vance has refused to apologize.
CBS News
“It’s not helpful. It’s not helpful,” Haley said of Vance’s comments about childless women.
Yet Haley said she chooses to focus on “substance” over “style.”
“The style is: No, it’s not helpful to talk about whether women have children or not,” she said. “… I’ve said it and I’ll continue to tell Republicans to stop, it’s not helpful.”
On the foreign policy front, Haley recently visited Taiwan and met with the country’s leaders, who are facing increasing aggression from China. Haley said the Taiwanese face 30 million cyberattacks a month, as well as air and sea aggression from the Chinese. If China seizes Taiwan, it would have a far greater economic impact on the world than Russia’s attack on Ukraine, she said.
“We have to care about it,” Haley said.
Haley said disinformation from foreign actors and influencers like China and Russia, particularly on platforms like TikTok, poses a serious threat to the United States.
“America needs to wake up when it comes to foreign actors,” she said.
Haley said she was not asked to campaign for former President Donald Trump and was not advising him or his campaign, but was “on standby.”
The former Republican presidential candidate said she spoke with Trump in June and offered her help. At the Republican convention, she offered her “strong support” for Trump, even though Trump and Haley have criticized each other in the past.
“You know, he knows I’m ready to step up,” the former South Carolina governor said. “I talked to him in June. He knows I’m ready if he needs me to step up.”
As the first debate between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris approaches Tuesday, Haley said she is not advising the president, “and that’s his choice — whatever he decides to do with his campaign, he can do.” But “if he asks, I’m happy to be helpful.”
