Nikki Haley Joins Hudson Institute

Former GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley has joined the Hudson Institute, an influential conservative think tank.

In a statement on April 15, the institute said that Ms. Haley, who was the United States ambassador to the United Nations during the Trump administration, will be the Walter P. Stern Chair.

“When our policymakers fail to call out our enemies or acknowledge the importance of our alliances, the world is less safe. That is why Hudson’s work is so critical,” said Ms. Haley.

“They believe the American people should have the facts and policymakers should have the solutions to support a secure, free, and prosperous future,“ she continued. ”I look forward to partnering with them to defend the principles that make America the greatest country in the world.”

Hudson President and CEO John Walters praised Ms. Haley’s experience and said his think tank is “honored” to have her on board.

“Nikki is a proven, effective leader on both foreign and domestic policy,” he said. “In an era of worldwide political upheaval, she has remained a steadfast defender of freedom and an effective advocate for American security and prosperity.”

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Hudson gave its global leadership award to Ms. Haley in 2018.

Walter P. Stern was chairman emeritus of the Hudson Institute, which was founded in 1961 in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, with a focus on foreign policy. The institute moved to Indianapolis in 1984 and then to Washington, D.C. in 2004.

“Through his leadership, Wally served as Hudson Institute’s ‘North Star,’ guiding the organization through the administrations of 10 U.S. presidents and three interstate headquarters moves from New York to Indianapolis and now, Washington, D.C.,” according to the think tank’s website.

“As a result of his guidance and support, Hudson has become one of the world’s most respected policy organizations, dedicated to promoting American leadership for a secure, free, and prosperous future.”

“It is fitting that Nikki has taken on this title,” said Hudson Board of Trustees Chair Sarah May Stern.

“She is a courageous and insightful policymaker and these qualities are vital in making Hudson the powerhouse policy organization it is today, and I am extremely proud that she has joined the Institute.”

Before joining the think tank, Mr. Stern worked in the financial sector.

Since suspending her campaign on March 6, Ms. Haley, who was governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017, has laid low and not done any media interviews. Ms. Haley was the last major GOP presidential candidate remaining against former President Donald Trump, who is now the presumptive nominee for the party.

Ms. Haley has not endorsed the former president’s 2024 campaign.

In her speech announcing the suspension of her campaign, acknowledging that the former president would likely become the Republican nominee, she congratulated him on the achievement and wished him well while stopping short of an endorsement.

“I have always been a conservative Republican and supported the Republican nominee,” Ms. Haley said. “But on this question, as she did on so many others, Margaret Thatcher provided some good advice when she said, ‘Never just follow the crowd. Always make up your own mind.’

“It is now up to Donald Trump to earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it who did not support him. And I hope he does.”

Foreign policy was a major element of Ms. Haley’s campaign with the 52-year-old taking a hawkish stance on issues ranging from Ukraine to Israel to China amid objections from the isolationist wing of the GOP.

She began her campaign in February 2023, making her the first major GOP candidate to jump into the race after President Trump. She was also the only female candidate in the Republican contest.

Ms. Haley, a possible 2028 presidential candidate, won the District of Columbia and Vermont primaries, becoming the first female GOP presidential candidate to win a primary contest.