Nikki Haley Won’t Run for President in 2028

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by WILL FOLKS

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Former South Carolina governor and failed 2024 presidential candidate Nikki Haley says she will not be part of the conversation for the Republican presidential nomination in 2028.

The Lindsey Graham-style warmonger appeared on CNN’s State of the Union Sunday morning (April 12, 2026) to discuss a host of issues – including her suggestion that American special forces should conduct an operation within the Islamic Republic of Iran to retrieve the nation’s stockpile of more than 1,000 pounds of weapons-grade uranium.

Haley was asked by host Dana Bash whether U.S. vice president JD Vance – who is leading ceasefire negotiations with Iran – ought to be the GOP nominee for president in 2028.

“I think it’s too soon to tell,” Haley responded. “I think that primaries are healthy. I think a year is a lifetime in politics. I think we’ll be having a different conversation a year from now. Who’s going to be in that? I have no idea.”

“Will you?” Bash asked Haley.

After a pause, the answer eventually came back negative.

“I will not,” Haley said.

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HALEY ON 2028: "I think we'll be having a different conversation a year from now. Who's gonna be in that? I have no idea."
BASH: "Will you?"
HALEY: "I will not." pic.twitter.com/YzZAn4M0EP

— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) April 12, 2026

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Haley was the last candidate standing against Donald Trump in 2024, winning 19.7% of the popular vote against the former/future president. She secured only 97 delegates, however, and won just two GOP primaries (Vermont and Washington D.C.).

After her early momentum collapsed, Haley was famously throttled by Trump in her home state of South Carolina – and then again two weeks later on Super Tuesday, at which point she suspended her candidacy.

Following her unsuccessful bid for the White House, Haley joined a warmongering think tank and launched a short-lived political show on Sirius XM.

While many neoconservatives had hoped Haley might enter the 2028 race, even her most prolific fan account on X seemed resigned to the long odds she would face in such a campaign.

“Ultimately, I think this is a smart decision,” the account’s author noted. “There’s no upside running against a sitting vice president.”

Meanwhile, numerous America First accounts made it clear Haley’s announcement was nothing but a “sound and fury” moment.

“We didn’t plan on voting for her anyways,” Ian Jaeger wrote on X.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.

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