Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley dodged a question about former President Donald Trump’s sexual assault verdict on Thursday.
Haley, who is considering a run for president in 2024, was asked by a reporter on Fox News if she had any comment on the verdict, which found Trump liable for sexually assaulting writer E. Jean Carroll.
“I’m not going to get into that,” Haley said. “That’s something for Trump to respond to.”
Trump has denied Carroll’s allegations, calling them “false accusations.”
Haley’s comments come as Trump faces increasing scrutiny over his past behaviour towards women. In addition to Carroll’s allegations, Trump has also been accused of sexual assault by multiple other women.
It remains to be seen how Trump’s sexual assault verdict will affect his political future. Some Republicans believe that the verdict could hurt his chances of winning re-election in 2024, while others believe that it will have little impact.
Only time will tell how Trump’s sexual assault verdict will play out in the political arena.
Background
In 2019, Carroll published an essay in which she accused Trump of sexually assaulting her in a department store dressing room in the mid-1990s. Trump denied the allegations, calling them “false accusations.”
In 2020, Carroll filed a defamation lawsuit against Trump, alleging that he had defamed her by calling her a liar. In 2022, a federal jury found Trump liable for defamation and awarded Carroll $2 million in damages.
Trump has appealed the verdict, but the appeal is currently pending.
Analysis
Haley’s decision to dodge a question about Trump’s sexual assault verdict is significant. It suggests that she is aware of the political implications of the verdict and is trying to avoid being drawn into a controversy.
Haley’s comments also suggest that she is not yet ready to distance herself from Trump. She has been a vocal supporter of Trump and said she would support him if he ran for president again in 2024.
It remains to be seen how Haley will handle the political fallout from Trump’s sexual assault verdict. However, her comments suggest that she is aware of the potential damage that the verdict could do to her political career.
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