As Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign falters, former Ambassador Nikki Haley has positioned herself as Donald Trump’s new principal rival. The result was inevitable: The former president is targeting the South Carolina Republican with one of his go-to lines of attack. NBC News reported overnight:
As Haley surges in New Hampshire polling, Trump posted an article on his Truth Social account from a right-wing outlet that claimed Haley, his GOP rival, is ineligible to be president because her parents were not U.S. citizens when she was born. Haley was born in South Carolina and has lived in the U.S. her entire life. Her parents were immigrants, who became citizens after her birth in 1972.
Just in case there are any lingering doubts, let’s make this plain: I can think of a great many problems with Haley’s national candidacy, but her eligibility for the White House isn’t one of them. She was born in the United States, and under the Constitution’s 14th Amendment, that makes her a natural-born citizen.
There’s simply no merit to any of this. Period. Full stop.
But if this racist line of attack sounds at all familiar, it’s not your imagination. Eight years ago, with less than a week remaining before the Iowa caucuses, Trump went after Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas with a birther attack. A month later, in an incident that went largely forgotten, Trump briefly questioned Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida with a similar line of attack. Four years ago, the then-president even went after then-Sen. Kamala Harris with yet another birther offensive.
To date, Trump has not peddled the same line against rivals he considers to be white.
Stepping back, the familiarity of the circumstances is striking for a variety of reasons.
In 2016, Trump argued that his opponents wanted to rig the Iowa caucuses. In 2024, he’s saying the same thing.
In 2016, Trump pushed the baseless line that the leading Democratic candidate was “corrupt.” In 2024, he’s saying the same thing.
In 2016, Trump based much of his candidacy on an anti-immigrant message. In 2024, he’s saying the same thing.
In 2016, Trump thought it would be a good idea to mock people with physical disabilities. In 2024, he’s saying the same thing.
And in 2016, Trump peddled racist birther conspiracy theories. In 2024, he's doing the same thing.
The likely GOP nominee only knows how to run for office one way. This is it.