Nikki Haley, fresh off her Civil War history refresher on this week’s Saturday Night Live, appeared to remember what the Constitution allowed when it comes to state secession: nothing.
Haley again walked back her comments saying states could choose if they wanted to secede from the U.S., telling CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday that she didn’t believe the Constitution afforded them that right. It came days after she told radio host Charlamagne tha God that states like Texas could “make the decisions that their people want to make.”
“According to the Constitution, they can’t,” Haley told CNN. “What I think they have the right to do is have the power to protect themselves and do all that. Texas has talked about that for a long time. The Constitution doesn’t allow for that.”
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The GOP presidential candidate then tried to pivot to why Texas would consider such an option, citing Gov. Greg Abbott’s frustration with the Biden administration’s handling of the Southern border and the state’s desire to protect itself.
“No one is talking about leaving, that’s not an issue,” Haley said. “We are talking about the fact that here you have Gov. Abbott and the people of Texas who want to be kept safe. They put up wire to keep people from coming in. The idea the federal government is wanting to cut that wire when we are trying to make sure we keep people out, that’s a huge mistake.”
Texas has been in a stand-off with the Biden administration over the state’s decision to install razor wire along a portion of its border with Mexico. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last month that the Biden administration could cut the wire, but state officials have refused to give the U.S. Border Patrol access to a park used by migrants to cross into the state. Texas has also continued to install more razor wire.
Haley didn’t just spare the Texas governor’s feelings. When asked about Donald Trump’s treatment of women after E. Jean Caroll’s attorney outlined his rage during his most recent civil trial, Haley used the opportunity to commend how he treated her during their time working together.
“I challenged him a lot, and he actually handled it very well and was very respectful,” she said, but also noted that Trump was not “a perfect person.”
“He is flawed,” Haley conceded.
