Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is expected to announce the end of her 2024 presidential campaign on Wednesday. Following disappointing results in Super Tuesday’s primary contests, where she only won Vermont, a source familiar with Haley’s plans confirmed to NBC News that she will make the announcement at 10 a.m.
Haley’s decision effectively cedes the Republican nomination to former President Donald Trump, who has been the frontrunner and is close to securing the delegates needed to win.
This move also marks the beginning of the general election season, with Trump and President Joe Biden emerging as the unofficial nominees of their respective parties.
According to a source close to the Haley campaign, the “ball is in [Trump’s] court” now. While Haley is not expected to endorse any candidate on Wednesday, she is likely to encourage Trump to seek the support of Republicans and independent voters who had backed her candidacy.
In Tuesday’s primary contests, Donald Trump is projected to have won nearly all states except Vermont, where Haley secured a victory with a margin of more than 4 percentage points.
Haley, who served as a member of Trump’s Cabinet from 2017 to 2018, was the first prominent Republican to challenge Trump in the 2024 race, launching her campaign in February 2023. However, with Trump’s strong performance in the primaries, Haley has decided to end her bid for the presidency.