Washington dc, it was her first public appearance since officially suspending her president ial campaign in march. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] suspending her president ial campaign in march. Good afternoon. I am sarah i am very proud to be here today as chair of Hudson Institute to introduce hudsons new walter p stern chair nikki haley. [applause] my dad believed america was a great country. Great because it was the land of freedom. Great because it was grounded and opportunities for those who worked hard and had ingenuity. Great because it stood up front and center for these values in a world for people may have misplaced their optimism and their sense of right and wrong. He knew how vital a Strong America was. When my dad cant speak in the late 60s he was struck by his commitment to these values. As the founder is impressed by his ability to integrate different strands of thinking to formulate strategies to make the world a better place. Thus was born in mind that a lifelong commitment to Hudson Institute. [applause] thank you. So, i know that right now my dad would be so proud that nikki haley is the next walter p stern chair at hudson. Dont think characteristics are just enumerated describe nikki haley and her career . Nikki was a governor who united south carolinians and brought businesses to south carolina. A fierce advocate for the United States and its alec, israel, in the United Nations. An optimist he wants the best for our country, tenacious and brilliant on the campaign trail and someone whos willing to listen to others and believes that hudsons mission to promote American Leadership for a secure, free, and prosperous future. Nikki is going to get up and give a talk in a minute. I think it is a really fitting nikkis first conversation at hudson as a walter p stern chair is a senior fellow peter weil. Heads up the center on europe and eurasia. The early 80s my dad and brother called on jews in the soviet union whose request to immigrate had been denied. Whose lives were really terrible as a result. Dads discussed for the communist regime and kremlin were palatable. Today a different regime rules in the kremlin it is still nefarious and peter knows more about its actions within just about anybody else. I look forward to hearing what nikki and peter have to discuss. So now please join me and welcoming nikki haley to the podium. [applause] [applause] thank you so much. Thank you, sarah, for those kind words for it for your friendship and for your leadership here at hudson. Thank you for the immense contributions that you and your family have made to the cause of freedom. It is an honor and a true privilege to hold the walter p stern chair and i will work hard to make you proud. I also went to acknowledge several ambassadors i had the pleasure was serving with at the United Nations it took time to come and be here today. On jose from mexico, audra from the way neah and bulgaria. Kelly curry who was my ambassador at the United Nations as well. Its great to see all of you again and its a pleasure to serve with you. Its good to be back at hudson. I hope the past year made it even more clear how passionate i am for the future of our country bread hudson is an amazing partner in this work. I look forward to our Work Together defending the country we all love. We certainly have a lot of work to do. The last time i spoke here was four years ago i warned about the rising hostility of capitalism and Economic Freedom on both the left and the right. I said threatened our prosperity as a people and security as a nation. It still does. Today i have a similar warning. Once again a dangerous world view has risen on both sides of the aisle. Once again it threatens our prosperity and can security. We need to take this one seriously. A growing number of democrats and republicans have forgotten what makes america safe. Allowed part of each party wants to abandon our allies, appease our enemies focus on probably have at home. They believe if we leave the world alone the world will leave us alone they say ignoring will make our country more secure. It will not. This world view has put america in grave danger the threat is amounting by the day. I have always spoken and hard id truths. If we do not remember the path to peace, war will come to america it will claim countless lives. We have to prevent war. We have to keep americans safe. This danger has been building for many years it became blatantly obvious two weeks ago today. That is when joe biden withheld critical weapons from israel. Those weapons are important for defeating hamas. They also matter for another reason. Withholding them validates the totally false and destructive narrative that israel is acting unjustly by defending herself. And truth israel is conducting this war of selfdefense more humanely than any other army and history. They are doing so against an enemy that uses its own civilians as human shields. I can hardly imagine a more foolish move than joe biden withhold weapons from one of our closest allies. It comes after more and more democrats have turned on is terrific dozens of liberals deserted israel and congress voted for the military aid last month. Now the leader of the Democratic Party is moving in their direction. Biden thanks he is stopping a war. In fact he is likely. This is not hard. Israel is a fighting americas enemies. Not just hamas but has developed, and most of all ironic. When biden says he wont give weapons to israel all of those enemies here is it attacking israel just got easier. They can kill as many jews as they want. After a few months of outrage america will tire and move on. Biden is a bold and i run to check our allies in the middle east. That makes them question who they can trust what america says . If we withhold help from israel why the jordanians ever feel like they could trust us as friends . This only pushes them into the arms of russia and china. Biden gave our enemies a green light for more bloodshed. If you will not stand with sin l for more than a few months why should russia think we will stand with ukraine much longer . China has greater confidence that will abandon taiwan and other asian allies. Our enemies are betting if they attack our allies we will make a lot of noise, then quiet down and walk away. We will go from standing strong to issuing strongly worded press releases throwing our friends under the bus. What we did there our enemies will expand at our expense. This is the face of weakness and it is the logical extension of biden surrender in afghanistan during his first year in office. In two weeks he threw away two decades of sacrifice from american heroes. That includes my husband michael is finally back is finally back from djibouti and somewhere in the audience. [applause] i wish it biden had heeded the warnings about afghanistan that i know he received instead he told our enemies we ignore our friendshreatened to attack our nato allies. We are obligated to defend them and if a russia attacks american troops will go to war. We must do Everything Possible to ensure that does not happen. Our goal should always be the prevention of war through strength and moral clarity. Saving our soldiers demand we sing with ukraine against russia for going to stop a war in the pacific we have to win the war in europe. No one is watching ukraine more closely than china. Known as watching israel more closely either. If we throw in the towel china will assume i can invade taiwan with. China is waiting to see if america is stupid enough to throw away in the middle east, europe and the asiapacific all the same time. China is not just waiting. President xi is actively coordinate with iran and russia. China props up the economy so he can keep sowing chaos in the middle east. China props up the Russian Military to help destabilize europe. Xi jinping will keep supporting our enemies because it undermines america. A fourth grade bully and gets it. Even if a fourth term congressman doesnt. [laughter] i am sympathetic to many of my fellow republicans concerns they say we need to end the crisis at our southern border. Thats absolute truth there is an immediate need for action. Biden has given Illegal Immigrants and drug runners the green light to flood our countries and kill our children. Securing the border is the National Necessity our safety and security demand it. But republicans are wrong when they say we have to fix the border before doing anything else. We should not pretend we can only solve one problem at a time. That is how we think we have a long list to get there. Nietzsche and inflation give working families relief. Unaware while partner controlling to stop the crime switching College Campuses destroying our cities to they want to ignore those issues to . Only until we deal with the border or is it just the support for ukraine they claim is getting and the way of dealing with our border . This is america. We can do these things at the same time in fact we have too. If we try to tackle them all one by one it will be decades before we finally get serious about our enemies. By that point they will be Even Stronger but we will be weaker. Defending ourselves will be more expensive, not less. When your enemies are preparing to storm the beach you dont bury your head in the sand. I dealt with plenty of hated america put their hand out and ask for money. I support cutting foreign aid even more. But sending weapons ukraine and israel is not foreign aid. It is an investment in the world in which authoritarian dictators cannot run roughshod over country we should end the war in ukraine that does not mean appeasing pollutant it means sending ukraine enough missiles, tanks and fighter jets to sent putin packing. We do not need a forever or we need a faster work we need ukraine to win this war now. Finally, china is the biggest threat facing america. Biggest threat does not mean only threat. We must realize all of these threats are working together. They attacked pearl harbor american did not ignore its. We confronted the powers simultaneously. China, russia, ironic are the modern day access. China is the senior partner, its fate is closely tied to the Junior Member we dont help our friends to be than china impose its will over asia and america itself will be in serious jeopardy. Such a crisis is closer than we think. Joe biden is rushing toward it and some republicans would move us towards more as well. By abandoning our allies they are aiding our enemies. It is not just short sighted, it is selfdefeating. Our enemies want to crush us they see a chance to destroy america. The question is, will we let them we can turn inward but the outside world will not leave us alone. Our future will be shaped by us and our friends or it will be shaped by our enemies. Failing to act is the worst action of all delay will only lead to more difficult decisions and a greater chance of catastrophe. The times we live and look like the 1930s. Our economy is weak. Our country is divided. Our leaders fail adequately to stand up for our allies. Even as our enemies target them and set their sights on us. We know how that air ended it ended with a victory. But at a terribly high price we must never have to pay that price again and there is still time to ensure we dont. The hour is late, we have to face the hard truth and do harder work. But i have faith we will rise to meet the challenge before us. If any country can still make it happen, it is ours. As my immigrant parents told me and my siblings we are blessed to live in america. On us every generation of americas proof we always rallied to defend that blessing. Thank you and god bless. [applause] [applause] welcome to hudson barracks think its great to be here pretty quick so you prepared for hudson staff to go around washington refer you to make nikki . I prefer nikki others were moments in time i am very much looking for to the partnership. Hudson is just about his winchester and myself of quality. And with courage and those who have vision for not just this year but 20 and 30 years out. Nothing defines that more than hudson domestic policy, foreign policy, i want quality and the people i was with i wanted courage i am with people who are going to speak the hard truth. I think we need that now in america more than ever for a quick sincere ready for the policy discussion before we do that this is your first time on stage after exiting the president ial campaign how its returned to civilian life so to speak are you doing . It is really good. It was a weeks i was sleeping 1. The first thing i did was catch up on my sleep and i quickly got back to running, which i missed during the campaign for is able to go and spend time with my parents who live with us and get michael back home from deployment which was a blessing. Spent time with the kids. I suspended truly with gratitude. So much gratitude. Towards the support of my familys when mike was 8000 miles away amazingly supportive. Supportive of my friends who stood by the supportive of an Amazing Campaign team led by jon lerner who is truly not just a dear friend but a fantastic consultant you do not get better than that in a campaign chair. Mary kate johnson was a major fundraiser, i will leslie it was with me now who managed our policy. We just had amazing people who love america i am grateful for them im grateful for that millions of people have voted and continue to support us. I have no regrets but we left it all on the table. At gratitude i was able to go through the process and fight as hard as i could. How blessed are we that we can live in a country we can do that. [applause] i can see them one by one smiling as you mention their names so clearly you are a tightknit group or. They have earned it, they earned it. Lets turn to the speech. One client that stuck out i will quote it our future will either be shaped by us and our friends were shaped by our enemies. It would be a lot of analysts that would agree that same than they might ask can the United States pull back from that world and expect our friends and allies to fill the void . Put another way how is important is American Leadership to this alliance . Possibly put another way. Why would we want to leave our allies . America can never be so arrogant to think we do not need friends. You have to be a friend to get a friend. I look back at 911 we needed a lot of friends after 911. One, america should want friends what america speaks the world listens. The world craves that moral clarity the world craves that leadership. We are fighting for freedom whether we are fighting for democracy whether we are fighting for human rights, we owe it to all that is good about america to spread that far and wide if we are not loud our enemies will be. Its just as much a necessity for our allies to want america to lead. They do not want to follow russia and china. I will continue to say what america is weak the world is less safe i think we are saying that right now. [inaudible] venture to say a russian official or chinese official made a speech like that. I think that speaks to networks and friendships around the world one friend and partner has become an off the topic of the war in ukraine you give a full throated endorsement of the ukrainian because in your remarks theres two i can hear some of from the isolationist who might say thats well and good ambassador but in that full throated Political Support let lettuce on a slippery slope into a conflict we did not want to be that. Its very different. Within vietnam we had half a million americans. We do not have the in ukraine have been amazing fighters they want to fight it themselves at that time there is a lot of internal conflicts. Ukraine is very united and the fact they dont want russia to take them over their very united and defending their freedom and defending their country. This is something we should want to do. While we want an enemy to be different i can type United Nations ukraine was an amazing friend to us they supported us on almost everything they showed up without even asked them to be there and now they are not asking for our troops this should have been over by now and why are we dangling out bits at a time . Why not give the tools that they have the passion they have the spirit they have the ability. But they dont have his friends stepping up to the plate and have the courage to say this is what rush is that not only that, like what putin said in one of his national speeches. He said it from his own words. At the time of the invasion, this is not a war on ukraine. This is a war on the west and nato. Putin sees us as morally corrupt. That is all you should have to hear it to know defendant ukraine is defending ourselves. [applause] ukraine debate has expressed itself to our supplemental security which im sure you track closely on your long runs of thinking about National Security in the world. Back in south carolina. What was your reaction to watching that debate the long arduous journey that ultimately played out successful. Passed both chambers of the congress, the president signed into law but give us some of your thoughts in reaction to the supplemental debate and that entire issue sets . I commend greatly speaker Michael Johnson for stepping up and pushing through. I appreciate the republicans and democrats had the ability to see this is about National Security our National Security. This is a conversation we need to have we would not be having this argument or even this confusion if our leaders would step up and tell people why they should care. That is the amazing part of this republicans and democrats rather than telling their constituents why we should care about ukraine, while we should care about israel. By we should care about what could happen in taiwan. Instead it can never be they are so arrogant to think they know better and the americans just need to go along with that. Americans are very smart. Its important to note this is all connected. There is a reason the israelis want america and the west to support ukraine. They knew if russia one. Theres a reason the taiwanese want the west to support ukraine. To support israel. They now if i run gets their way its only going to embolden china. We need to see bigger than conflicts we should never see them just in a silo. I appreciate the fact we got this through i think you can go and see what is happening in ukraine now. Theres a lot going on and that is because helping a friend that was the disappointment in all of it. Quick speaking of diffs disappointments you have any reaction to the icc move against Prime Minister netanyahu . Member your former diplomat, mama. [laughter] my fellow diplomats will tell you i was not always diplomatic. [laughter] i spoke hard truth. I will say this. I would normally say i am not surprised. I saw every day the israel bashing over and over and over again i also saw when israel gets hit, everyone goes to support her they all turned against her when she tries to defend herself and hits back. This icc ruling i am not going to lie literally is disgusting. You had 1400 people butchered on october 7. You had kids at a concert those girls were raped and mutilated. And dragged through the streets of gaza. Where they sit at death to israel, death to america. You are going to put that in the same sentence with hamas and netanyahu . I dont know any other word but disgusting. They have gone so far out of whack it is why people do not trust it is why america does not consider icc to be reliable. They proved it themselves i do not understand having a conversation where you put israel and terrorists in the same sentence. And what world do we treat them the same . They were brutal, they were vicious and they bragged about it and celebrated it. Israel did not start this. That is the thing, who started this . Israel did not start this. But if this had happened to us, at this had happened to any country, what country would not want to defend themselves . Went to Great Lengths to make sure it doesnt happen again. Truly i have always seen israel, like americans value human life. It will go out of their way to make sure they are avoiding any innocent casualties. In war that is not easy. You cannot even put them in the same sentence as hamas it is disgusting, truly. I Hope Congress will follow through and sanction those members of the icc. Thats the only what we can let them know its got to stop. [applause] to show your solidarity i believe you have travel plans potentially to share . Yes we will be going to israel very soon. I want israelis to know americans support them. Americans hear them. I think we should be talking about these hostages every single day. These families have suffered enough. They need to know that look, we are stronger together. I dont to come back and continue to tell everybody why we should care about is rupert white we should care about what happened and how i brought is getting emboldened by the fact we are suddenly starting to divide on israel. I sit in the beginning shortly after october 7 i said if we leave ukraine i promise you theyre going to want to leave israel next and look at what is happened. We have to start realizing our trust in the world matters our voice in the world should be believed and trusted as well. I hope we can go to israel help be a voice i think is true for Many Americans that want them to know they are supported but find out exactly is going on on the ground and the strategy at play. When i listen to your speech had it natural symmetry to it to be a bit reductionist you opened with some comments on the part you talked a little bit about some the shortcomings of the Republican Party. I could not help but think of two names on i heard you deliver that speech, joe biden and donald trump. So on these issues is National SecurityCritical Issues that you have described today, who do you think a be a better job in the white house joe biden or donald trump . [inaudible] i put my priorities on a president whos going to have the backs of our allies and hold our enemies to account. Would secure the border no more excuses for it a president who would support capitalism and freedom president who understands we need less is notn these policies, i have made that clear up many, many times. But biden has been a catastrophe. So i will be voting for trump. Having said that, i stand by what is said in my suspension speech. Trump would be smart to reach out to the millions of people who voted for me and support me not to assume theyre just going to be with him. I genuinely hope he does that. [applause] wasnt calling you nikki would be shortlived after asking a political question back to Ambassador Haley for me. [laughter] you are at the United Nations and spoke a great deal today but also when you were un ambassador about the scourge of antisemitism that you felt at that institution. Its lead a lot of our fellow americans in particular in the Republican Party on the right to essentially give up on the un. How should we think about the un . Are they right . Are they wrong . They are wrong. They are always wrong that is incredibly frustrating. I said to my ambassador friends and i said to the secretarygeneral at the time when i left, if the United Nations ever was to truly be legitimate they have to Start Talking about things that are hard to talk about. They refuse to do that. But, i look at the israel bashing and look at the fact they stood up and paused for a moment of silence for a brutal killer of innocent iranians. I looked at the fact they continued to lean in on china and russia. They leaned away from freedom. I think the un is a farce. Its disappointing, it is frustrating its why i worked hard to pull money back away from it. The reason we stay is one reason and it is because america has the veto. You have five countries have the veto uk, france, america, china, and russia. If we walked away, that things would happen. As karen knows we stopped a lot of bad things from happening. That is the reason we stayed but continues to show not just to americans but a lot of the world why we are not getting a return on our investment. Lisko semi back to politics it just occurred to me as you were speaking you might be the best equipped american given the number of events who did in the number of states on National Security issues to give us a sense of where the American People stand on those foreign policies. If you ruled out your policies and voters in town halls is there anything that particularly impressed you, surprise you, a shock to on ukraine policies theconventional wisdom in washington is off compared to what i will come itself going to come in him should be she travels much of the country . During the time we were campaigning, this is really when the debate of ukraine was hot. Your sink more and more isolationist. We do hundreds of town halls i purposefully would take a good 10 or 15 minutes to go through foreign policy. Even though thats not pretty or sexy or what everyone to talk about. Its a responsibility i had to let people know why they should care because no one else is doing it. So you had people who would come into a town hall the majority at them not understand we were dealing with ukraine but we were dealing with the border that was completely open. What i told them was the story which is here you have this freedom loving country that was invaded by the sin dictator. If you look at what a friend they have been to, and immediately everybody come all those men went to the front lines immediately to defend our country. The women did not stand back they immediately started making molotov cocktails, whatever they could do to support their men. What everybody gave them five days to survive they kept fighting because freedom mattered. Their country mattered. And so you look at that russia thought they were going to win very easily but what happened . Russia did not do as well as they thought. We saw they lost 87 of their fighting forces that started the war. They raise the draft age and russia to 65. We saw theyre getting drones from iran, missiles from north korea. We sought russia falling. And what happens . October 7. There is no coincidence that here it went russia was starting to falter ukraine was starting to strengthen, that all of the sudden you have hamas invade israel. Now i believe october, putins birthdate was a gift from my run to putin. I dont think that was a coincidence that day was very symbolic. But more than that, look at what we know. Russian intelligence helped iran in that attack. We also note china was funding ironic has been funding i run. Why would they want this . All eyes were on ukraine. The second this happen october 7 what did america and the world do we took our eyes off of ukraine and we moved to israel. That allowed or russia to strengthen up to do the things they did. Now you see whats happening in israel no one is watching this more than china because they paid attention to all the companies that boycotted russia. All that helped a rush of their paying attention now to who is with israel, who is not with israel. They are paying attention to americas getting tired. Taiwan is hoping that we stand strong in ukraine in stand strong with israel. Because if we do, they know that will deter china. All of this is connected ill go out and tell americans dont look at this is surprisingly incidents happening at the same time. Those are coordinated. Every bit of it is coordinated and America Needs to be smart enough that will happen when it grows a spine again. If we grow a spine all of this will start we continue down the path we are going you can expect taiwan to be next. Is the key insights the rain is, russia, china are all working together. Sounds like you described that as an outright alliance of anti american actors on the eurasian landmass is that a fair interpretation . A look at what north korea is doing or helping a rush of her radiochina helping ironic. Russia helping intelligence they are all working together but not because they love each other because they hate america. If they are that determined to destroy us why arent we that determined to save us . That is the part we have to remember as americans. When i talk about on the campaign trail americans appreciated hearing that. Once they heard how this was all connected, once they saw exactly what the entire picture was americans are smart. We have a responsibility to that. When you look at the vote that happened on the agent with ukraine and israel and with taiwan that Shows Americans are getting it. Those congressional members did what their constituencies were pushing them to do. Americans want us to support ukraine. They want us to support israel. They want us to fight china but they want us to go make sure getting strong again. Theyre asking for that quick notwithstanding within College Campuses i have a belief in the healthiness of the american common sense that makes sense. Your often addressed as a bassett or haley exit theme of what to call you during the course of these remarks but that me sometimes your tenure gets a little bit of a short trip you are also governor haley. Your talk about National Security the governor not really thought about it comes to National Security. What role do governors have so think about National Security today . I think a huge role. A governor is responsible for the safety and security of their state. When you look at foreign adversaries, whether its spreading this information. Whether it is the fact they are buying up land. Whether it is starting to do things in ways that are intruding into our policy but those are very real. Governors are needed now because guess what, governors need to be pushing the ban on tiktok. Governors need to make sure we are not just dealing with Cyber Attacks on ip stealing of that. Look at the fact they need to be raised the red flag on critical infrastructure. Those affect governors if something happens those governors are going to have to stand up and do it. And so i am a huge fan of governors. They know how to lead, that how to protect and they know how to get things done. I hope the voices of our governors only get louder. I think governors, when it comes to the security and the health of their state thats not a partisan thing. When it comes to security that is something where they need to be pushing their members of congress, what are you doing to protect . What are you doing to make sure tiktok does not spread misinformation . What are you doing to make sure have a voice in this . Im our slate at some of 5 0. I would like to thank our friends from the media for being here today. For the rest of you live close a press reception with sarah, jon and investor haley will be hosting with four to sing it there. Before we do that lets give ambassador harry elwell warm welcome to Hudson Institute. [applause] [applause] [background noises] [inaudible]