Trump says Haley donors 'will be excluded from MAGA camp'

Former President Donald J. Trump effectively threatened Nikki Haley's donors with excommunication from his political movement on Wednesday night, declaring that he would reject contributions from anyone who donated to her primary campaign.

“When I ran for Office and won, I noticed that the losing Candidate's 'Donors' immediately came to me wanting to 'help'.” he wrote on his social media platform. “This is standard in politics, but not with me anymore.”

He then added, using his insulting nickname for Ms. Haley: “Anyone who makes a 'contribution' to Birdbrain will be permanently expelled from the MAGA camp from this point forward. We don't want them and won't accept them because we put America first and ALWAYS WILL!”

Mr. Trump took the position not long after Ms. Haley held a rally in North Charleston, S.C., as the primary campaign moves to that state from New Hampshire. At that rally, Ms. Haley told supporters that she had raised $1 million in the past day, after pledging that she would stay in the race despite her loss in New Hampshire.

“Well, in that case…donate here,” Mrs. Haley wrote to X in reply, with a link to her fundraising page. A spokeswoman for her campaign said Thursday that after Mr. Trump's post, “We saw a surge in donations.” When asked for numbers, she did not respond.

Ms. Haley's campaign also promptly began selling T-shirts that read “Barred.” Forever.”

Ms. Haley has the support of a number of major donors, who began to coalesce around her late last year as they concluded she was the most viable alternative to Mr. Trump. Her backers include the political network of billionaire industrialist brothers Charles and David Koch, one of the richest and most powerful forces in Republican politics in recent years.

Until shortly before the New Hampshire primary, Trump had often ignored Ms. Haley. But in the days leading up to the vote, he began attacking her mercilessly. He also began using (and butchering) her first name, Nimarata, and falsely implying that she was not born in the United States, the same racist playbook he used against former President Barack Obama.

Although Mr. Trump's new threat about Ms. Haley's donors was likely empty — politicians in close general elections tend not to withhold large contributions — his post reflected his anger at Ms. Haley for not dropping out and ceding the nomination to him like him, and Many elected Republicans are trying to declare the race over.

But Mr. Trump's warning ignored the fact that to win in November, he will have to earn the support of many of the voters currently supporting Ms. Haley — the independent and college-educated voters who do not have much power in the Republican primaries . but who will be essential in the general election.