Nalin Haley, the son of former South Carolina governor and GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley, launched another blistering attack on Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy on X, extending a public feud rooted in the bitter rivalry between Ramaswamy and Haley during the Republican presidential primary.
Nalin’s attack on December 30 was triggered by a post from Ramaswamy that appeared to warn critics against spreading what he described as defamatory claims about his business record.
“(Friendly note to those trying to push defamatory lies: save your records & don’t delete them),” Ramaswamy wrote.
Within hours, Nalin Haley responded with an unusually personal and scathing post, accusing Ramaswamy of political opportunism, dishonesty, and exploiting both his mother and the Republican base for personal ambition.
“My Mom would never say this cuz she’s too nice… but I’m not so I will,” Haley wrote, alleging that Ramaswamy had privately sought Nikki Haley’s support years earlier. According to Haley, Ramaswamy contacted his mother in 2021 asking her to publicly praise his book—support she ultimately provided—and later sought her advice about running for governor of Ohio.
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“He was a total fangirl before the grift,” Haley wrote, adding that Ramaswamy’s presidential campaign was never sincere. “He didn’t actually believe any of it. He just wanted the endorsement.”
The younger Haley went further, accusing Ramaswamy of running what he described as a “fraudulent presidential campaign” as a stepping stone to the Ohio governor’s race, and of threatening litigation to silence critics. His post also included personal insults and accusations regarding Ramaswamy’s business career and views on immigration and labor.
The sharp language reflects more than a spontaneous online feud. It taps into a longer, uneasy history between the Haley and Ramaswamy camps, dating back to the 2024 Republican presidential primary, when both Nikki Haley and Ramaswamy competed for the party’s nomination and frequently clashed over foreign policy, immigration, and the future direction of the GOP.
During that race, Nikki Haley positioned herself as a more traditional conservative with strong national security credentials, while Ramaswamy ran as a populist outsider aligned closely with former President Donald Trump and the MAGA movement. Their rivalry was marked by pointed debate-stage exchanges and contrasting appeals to Republican voters.
Nalin Haley, who has increasingly acted as an aggressive public surrogate for his mother, has previously used social media to defend her record and counter attacks from rival factions within the party. His latest intervention suggests lingering resentment over Ramaswamy’s rise—and over what Haley allies see as ideological inconsistency and political calculation.
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Ramaswamy, who has not responded directly to Haley’s remarks, has faced growing scrutiny over his business history and political ambitions as he pivots from a failed presidential bid to a high-profile gubernatorial campaign in Ohio. His December 30 tweet warning critics to preserve records was widely interpreted as a signal that legal action could follow continued attacks.
The episode underscores how unresolved tensions from the 2024 Republican primary continue to shape intraparty dynamics, particularly as former presidential contenders reposition themselves for future races. It also highlights how family members and informal surrogates are increasingly playing frontline roles in modern political combat—often with fewer restraints than the candidates themselves.
Whether the exchange escalates further may depend on whether Ramaswamy follows through on his legal warnings—or whether, as in many political feuds, the battle remains confined to the unforgiving arena of social media.