In a recent Fox News interview, GOP presidential primary candidate Nikki Haley addressed the backlash she faced over her response to a voter's question on the cause of the Civil War. Haley admitted that she had assumed it was a "given" that the Civil War was about slavery when giving her controversial answer last week.

Haley stated, "What I should have said immediately was that the Civil War was about slavery, but I just assumed that that was a given, and I went on and said it was also about the role of government and about the rights of people economically, socially and otherwise."

During a town hall event in New Hampshire, Haley initially responded to the voter's question by saying, "I think the cause of the Civil War was basically how government was going to run, the freedoms and what people could and couldn't do." However, the voter criticized her answer, highlighting the astonishing omission of slavery when discussing the cause of the Civil War in 2023.

Fellow GOP primary candidate Ron DeSantis voiced his criticism of Haley's initial response, stating, "The minute that she faces any type of scrutiny, she tends to cave. And I think that's what you saw yesterday. It's not that difficult to identify and acknowledge the role slavery played in the Civil War."

Haley's clarification comes as she faces increasing scrutiny and pressure during her presidential campaign. DeSantis emphasized the importance of handling tough questions in the realm of politics, stating, "You're going to get asked a lot of tough questions. That's just the nature of this business. And I think that she shows time and time again that when the lights get hot, that she wilts under pressure, and that was a good example last night."

By addressing the issue head-on and acknowledging her mistake, Nikki Haley aims to maintain transparency and foster public trust in her campaign. The role of slavery in the Civil War remains a pivotal and sensitive topic within the United States, making it crucial for candidates to accurately represent historical events.