South Carolina Senator Tim Scott has thrown his support behind former President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign, despite his close personal and political ties to fellow South Carolinian and GOP presidential contender Nikki Haley.
Scott, who was appointed to the Senate by Haley in 2013 when she was governor, praised her past leadership but criticized her current presidential campaign strategy. Appearing on The Ingraham Angle, Scott said Haley “served our state well as a conservative governor” but claimed she is now running as “a moderate Republican presidential candidate.”
Scott emphasized his support for Trump by pointing to what he sees as more decisive action on key national issues, especially immigration and border security.
“We are not spending enough on securing our border,” Scott said. “Meanwhile, we’re debating aid to Ukraine and Israel—both of which I support—but you can’t have accountability abroad without first protecting America at home. What’s happening at the southern border is the largest illegal crossing in our nation’s history.”
Scott’s endorsement has sparked backlash from some critics on the left, who question how he reconciles his support for Trump with his identity and public service.
Host Laura Ingraham addressed this reaction, saying it reflects a broader pattern: “Nothing enrages the left more than an African American who doesn’t align with their ideology. It’s the same reason Justice Clarence Thomas is relentlessly criticized, while others who align ideologically are treated differently.”
Senator Scott, one of the most prominent Black Republicans in the country, has consistently defended Trump’s record, particularly on issues impacting minority communities. He has argued that Trump’s policies—including support for Opportunity Zones, funding for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), and criminal justice reform—had a more direct impact than anything achieved under President Joe Biden.
As the 2024 race intensifies, Scott’s endorsement is viewed as a significant boost for Trump, especially in South Carolina, an early and influential primary state.
