Trump takes a swipe at former GOP rival before praising her commitment to the election campaign: “Already helping us”

Former President Donald Trump emphasized in a “Fox and Friends” interview that he clearly defeated Nikki Haley, the Republican presidential candidate in the 2024 primaries, but that the former governor of South Carolina and UN ambassador in Trump's administration defeated him in the election campaign “help”.

During a wide-ranging interview Friday morning on Fox News Channel's popular morning show, Trump was asked by co-host Brian Kilmeade if he had asked Haley to help him win over Republicans who are reluctant to support the former president.

“I’ll do what I have to do,” Trump replied.

Donald Trump emphasized in an interview with “Fox & Friends” Friday morning that he “badly beat” Nikki (Haley) in the Republican presidential primary, but also added that his former rival is “supporting” his presidential campaign.

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Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at Riverfront Sports on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024, in Scranton, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

“I'll do what I have to do,” Trump said when asked if he would ask Haley to join the campaign, further emphasizing: “Nikki Haley and I fought, and I have her at 50, 60 , 90 beaten.” I beat them in their own state with numbers that no one has ever beaten with.

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Haley started it Presidential campaign in February last year, becoming the first major candidate to challenge Trump, who had announced his candidacy three months earlier. And in the end, she was his final competitor, battling the former president from the New Hampshire primary in late January to Super Tuesday in early March in a contentious showdown between two candidates.

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley speaks as she announces she is suspending her campaign in Charleston, South Carolina, March 6, 2024. (Reuters/Brian Snyder)

Haley announced March 6 that she was pausing her White House campaign, a day after Trump won 14 of 15 Republican nomination contests on Super Tuesday.

When she left the race, Haley made it clear that she wanted to continue speaking out. And she continued to get up to 20% of the Republican vote Presidential primaries in the months after her exit.

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In late May, Haley said she would vote for Trump in her first public comments since announcing the end of her 2024 campaign.

Haley won a total of 97 delegates in the Republican presidential primary. And she released all of her delegates and urged them to support Trump.

In August, Haley spoke in support of Trump in a widely publicized speech at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Former Republican presidential candidate and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley speaks on the second day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ((PEDRO UGARTE/AFP via Getty Images))

On Friday, Trump appeared to express some disappointment over whether he will ask Haley to campaign on his behalf in the final stretch before Election Day.

“Everyone keeps saying that. They don't say, 'Get (Florida Governor) Ron (DeSantis) and Ron did very well,” Trump said. “But I beat everyone by numbers never seen before. And they talk about Nikki all the time. Nikki.”, I like Nikki. Nikki, I don't think she should have done what she did. And it's a good thing she did.

Trump added: “They say, 'Oh, when is Nikki coming back?'”

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He emphasized: “Nikki is there. Nikki is already helping us…Nikki is already there, you know, campaigning.”

Sources confirm to Fox News that Haley is in talks to join Trump in the campaign.

So far, Haley's efforts to help Trump take disgruntled Republicans and others who don't support the Republican presidential nominee to court have been limited to a few fundraising emails.

While Trump continues to have major influence over Republicans, even a small portion of Republicans supporting Vice President Kamala Harris could have an important impact on what is likely to be a close race in battleground states.

The vice president has stepped up his efforts in recent weeks to sue Republicans who supported Haley during the GOP primary.

Get the latest updates on the 2024 election, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital Election Center.