WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th February, 2023) Former President Donald Trump welcomed former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley's decision to enter the US presidential contest, saying she should "not be bound" by her previous promises not to run against him.
"The more the merrier," Trump told Fox news in an exclusive interview when asked about Haley's announcement that she would challenge him for the Republican nomination in the 2024 election campaign.
Haley officially launched her candidacy on Wednesday, saying in her first speech as a presidential candidate that said she is running for a "strong and proud America."
"I'm glad she's running," Trump said. "I want her to follow her heart � even though she made a commitment that she would never run against who she called the greatest president of her lifetime ... She should do what she wants to do and not be bound by the fact that she said she would never do it."
Trump also pointed out that recent polls conducted by both Democrats and Republicans have shown that he is the favored candidate to clinch the Republican nomination.
He also said he was not worried about any possible Republican competition, including his former Vice President Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, as well as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
"I know them all. I put them all there," Trump told Fox.
A new poll released by Reuters/Ipsos on Tuesday found that Trump is the favored candidate among Republican voters, with 43% of registered voters in that party saying they wanted him to be their candidate.
The same poll found that DeSantis comes in second place with 31% favoring him for the nomination, whie both Pence and Haley only received single-digit support.
