Trump Blasts Koch Network For Endorsing Nikki Haley, Calls His Former U.N. Ambassador A ‘Birdbrain’

In a post to Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump expressed his disappointment that Americans for Prosperity Action (AFP Action), a conservative political advocacy group, had chosen to support former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley over him.

AFP Action, which was founded by billionaire brothers Charles Koch and the late David Koch, released a statement on Tuesday that asserted that Haley, former governor of South Carolina, was the most capable candidate to challenge Trump in the primaries. They commended her leadership qualities and said she had “what it takes to lead a policy agenda to take on our nation’s biggest challenges.”

On Wednesday, Trump wrote, “The Globalist Koch Fake ‘Network,’ Americans for China Prosperity, who constantly admit that they did better in Business under President Trump than EVER BEFORE, have decided to back Nikki ‘Birdbrain’ Haley over Ron DeSanctimonious, a minor hit for Ron.” 

He added, “I was never in the running because I’m all about Making America, not the outside World, Great Again!” 

“These losers have fought me from 2016 to the present. They are bad for our Country, and so is a very weak and ineffective Birdbrain, who still says that ‘President Trump was a GREAT President, I will never run against him.’ She’s down 50 Points, she better start running FAST!”

AFP Action has never previously supported Trump, and the endorsement of Haley marks the organization’s first major action in explicit opposition to the former president.

Right before AFP Action endorsed Haley, the organization had mailed a leaflet that told its supporters the best way to defeat President Joe Biden in the 2024 election would be “by letting go of Trump.” The organization argued that Republicans needed a new leader, “who can defeat Joe Biden and return this nation to prosperity.”

Last month, Andrew Stein, a former Democratic New York legislator and a former close associate of Trump who backed him in both the 2016 and 2020 elections, also declared his endorsement for Haley instead of the former president.

Stein said Haley would “have a broader appeal than Mr. Trump for independents and suburbanites, especially women,” and noted the former president’s four criminal cases that could land him potential prison time.

During the third GOP debate, Haley made news for calling her opponent Vivek Ramaswamy “scum” for mentioning her daughter.