Nikki Haley Joins Foreign Policy Think Tank Hudson Institute After Presidential Race Dropout

Failed Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has taken a position at a foreign policy-focused think tank after dropping out of the 2024 race.

Haley, who was the final opponent of former President Donald Trump in the GOP primary before exiting the race in early March, has joined the Washington, D.C.-based Hudson Institute as the next Walter P. Stern chair.

The organization, founded by military strategist Herman Kahn in 1961, is known for influencing lawmakers on “foreign and domestic policy, national security, economics, and international relations,” according to its website. 

The former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations had also received Hudson’s Global Leadership Award in 2018.

“When our policymakers fail to call out our enemies or acknowledge the importance of our alliances, the world is less safe. That is why Hudson’s work is so critical,” Haley, also known for being the former governor of South Carolina, said in a statement.

“They believe the American people should have the facts and policymakers should have the solutions to support a secure, free, and prosperous future,” she added. “I look forward to partnering with them to defend the principles that make America the greatest country in the world.”

Haley was known for her hawkish foreign policy during the campaign trail, especially in relation to China, as well as the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas wars.

Last February, Haley told Breitbart News that the U.S. “let Russia into Crimea and then watched Russia invade Ukraine.” She also said, “America really hasn’t done anything” and asserted that “we need to hold China accountable.”

During a November 2023 town hall event in New Hampshire, Haley stated that the idea of a “two-state solution” for Israel and Palestine is “not a true conversation,” NBC News reported. 

She was also heavily criticized by fellow Republican primary dropout Vivek Ramaswamy during a December debate for saying that an attack on Israel is an attack on the United States.

“But to say that was an attack on America fails a basic test,” Ramaswamy, who espouses America-first foreign policy views, said. “If you can’t tell the difference between where Israel is and the US is on a map I can have my 3 year old son show you the difference”:

Vivek to Nikki Haley on Israel “But to say that was an attack on America fails a basic test. If you can’t tell the difference between where Israel is and the US is on a map I can have my 3 year old son show you the difference.” pic.twitter.com/l1TLFVuhmm

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) December 7, 2023

Just on Saturday, Haley received massive backlash on social media after saying “the world is watching” the U.S. fail to prove their “ironclad” support for Israel:

If America’s relationship with Israel is “ironclad”, now is the time to prove it. #TheWorldIsWatching

— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) April 13, 2024

Donald Trump, whom Haley refused to endorse after dropping out of the primary, has labeled her a “warmonger” who wants to drag the U.S. into more wars.

“People that want to go have wars all the time. Nikki’s one of them. She’s one of them,” he said, according to Reuters. “’Let’s kill people all over the place, and let’s make a lot of money for those people that make the missiles.'”

Hudson President and CEO John P. Walters celebrated Haley’s new role, praising her as a “proven, effective leader on both foreign and domestic policy.”

“In an era of worldwide political upheaval, she has remained a steadfast defender of freedom and an effective advocate for American security and prosperity. We are honored to have her join the Hudson team,” Walters said.

The Walter P. Stern chair position was added in 2020 to honor the institute’s former chairman, who died in 2022. 

“It is fitting that Nikki has taken on this title,” Sarah May Stern, chair of Hudson’s Board of Trustees, said. “She is a courageous and insightful policymaker and these qualities are vital in making Hudson the powerhouse policy organization it is today, and I am extremely proud that she has joined the Institute.”