Nikki Haley issues scathing takedown of Trump cabinet picks ‘Russian sympathizer’ Tulsi Gabbard and ‘liberal’ RFK Jr

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Nikki Haley has launched into a blistering critique of Donald Trump’s cabinet picks Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F Kennedy Jr, slamming the former as “a Russian, Iranian, Syrian, Chinese sympathizer.” The former United Nations Ambassador in Trump’s first administration raised major concerns about Gabbard, who was picked as director of national security, and RFK Jr, who was nominated Health and Human Services secretary, during her SiriusXM show Nikki Haley Live on Wednesday. This is going to be the future head of our national intelligence.” The former GOP presidential contender then took a swipe at Gabbard’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine war, after the military veteran posted on X in February 2022 about “Russia’s legitimate security concerns regarding Ukraine’s becoming a member of NATO.” open image in gallery Nikki Haley slammed Gabbard and RFK Jr’s nominations to Trump’s cabinet Haley continued: “After Russia invaded Ukraine, Tulsi Gabbard literally blamed NATO, our Western alliance that’s responsible for countering Russia. “She blamed NATO for the attack on Ukraine, and the Russians and the Chinese echoed her talking points and her interviews on Russian and Chinese television.” She also shared her disdain over Gabbard’s trip to Syria in January 2017 where she met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, branding it “disgusting” that the former Hawaii representative went to Syria “for a photo op.” Haley, who Trump confirmed would not be rehired to his administration earlier this month, concluded: “So now she’s defended Russia, she’s defended Syria, she’s defended Iran, and she’s defended China. The New York Post’s editorial board, a Rupert Murdoch-owned, conservative paper, has also implored the president-elect to “rethink” some of his choices in an op-ed on Wednesday, calling Gabbard and Trump’s attorney general pick Matt Gaetz “dreadful.” The conservative tabloid newspaper wrote: “They’re distracting chaos agents who won’t accomplish what Trump wants them to, and will most likely backfire on his agenda.” Like Haley, the Post raised concerns that Gabbard could downplay global threats to Trump because she is too emotionally invested in foreign entities – citing her cozying up to Russian state media.