Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley criticized the Trump administration's handling of economic issues, saying the White House has failed to address core fiscal concerns that she warned could imperil Republican prospects in the 2026 midterm elections.
Haley, who challenged President Donald Trump for the 2024 GOP nomination, made her remarks in an interview that aired Tuesday evening on Fox News, according to The Hill.
Speaking about economic conditions and voters' concerns, Haley said fiscal conservatism has not been "talked about at all during this administration."
On broader economic pressures facing Americans, she said there has not been enough focus on affordability.
"You still have too many kids living at home, you still have people who can't deal with rent, you see people, they have less money in their wallets, and you can't look at the stock market and say the economy is doing well," she said.
Haley also discussed the nation's fiscal backdrop, stating: "We're looking at now $39 trillion in debt. Social Security is going to run out in over six years, leaving 75 million Americans having to make a choice. Something needs to be done."
While discussing national politics, she warned that "if Americans don't feel like there's some hope with their wallets and some hope in raising their families, we will lose."
Haley, who was U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in Trump's first term, has increasingly slammed economic messaging from Republican leaders.
She said Trump has made several questionable economic moves in his second term, including raising tariffs on goods from some of America's closest trading partners, such as Canada, Mexico, and China.
Newsmax has contacted the White House for comment.
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