In a fiery statement, Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley criticized former President Donald Trump for his recent comments about her deployed husband, asserting that he is "not qualified" to lead the country once again. Haley took issue with Trump's disrespectful attitude towards the military, stating that she does not trust him to protect them.

The incident took place during a rally on Saturday, where Trump made jabs at Haley and her husband while discussing their visit to his Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago. Trump questioned the whereabouts of Haley's husband, who is currently serving a year-long deployment as a commissioned officer in the South Carolina Army National Guard. This is a fact that Haley frequently highlights during her campaign events.

Haley fired back at Trump on social media and addressed the issue with reporters on Monday, emphasizing the stark contrast between her husband's military service and Trump's lack thereof. She underscored that Trump has never come close to wearing a military uniform or experiencing the hardships faced by those who sacrifice for their country. She pointed out that the most harm Trump has encountered is a golf ball hitting him on a golf cart.

Haley firmly stated that she did not believe Trump's comments were accidental, describing it as a pattern of behavior when he speaks off-script. She referred to previous instances where he allegedly called military members "suckers" and "losers," as reported by his former chief of staff, John Kelly. Haley also referenced disparaging remarks Trump allegedly made during a visit to Arlington National Cemetery.

Despite signing a pledge to support the party's nominee during the GOP primary debates last year, Haley did not directly answer whether she would vote for Trump again in 2024. However, she made it clear that she was focused on defeating him in the present, questioning whether someone who puts down military members should be the leader of a country whose citizens may have to go to war.

Following Haley's remarks, Trump's national press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, defended the former president's support for the military. Leavitt criticized Haley for advocating greater foreign intervention and accusing her of supporting endless wars resulting in American casualties. She concluded that Haley would never be commander-in-chief, suggesting that Trump was the better option.

As the South Carolina primary nears, Haley has intensified her criticism of Trump. Her campaign has introduced a chicken mascot, labeling the former president as "too chicken to debate." Additionally, they have distributed mental competency tests at campaign events and even displayed a mobile billboard featuring Trump and President Biden on the "Grumpy Old Men" movie poster outside Trump's South Carolina event over the weekend.

Haley has capitalized on Trump's comments, using them to fundraise for her campaign. She is selling pro-military T-shirts, appealing to supporters to help "defeat Trump and elect a commander-in-chief who supports our troops and understands the sacrifices our military families make."

Trump has been known to make disparaging remarks about individuals who have served in the military, such as his criticism of Senator John McCain's war hero status in 2015. His insults extended to the parents of a fallen Muslim U.S. Army captain during the 2016 campaign, after they spoke out against him at the Democratic convention.

As the political landscape continues to evolve, Haley's relentless criticism of Trump's comments towards the military will likely resonate with voters, especially those who value the sacrifice and commitment of deployed servicemen and women.