Donald Trump Jr. said Monday he would go to “great lengths” to prevent GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley from joining his father’s campaign.Trump Jr. said during a Christmas Day interview that he views Haley as the “preferred candidate” of the Washington establishment.”I wouldn’t have her on, and I would go to great lengths to make sure that that doesn’t happen,” Trump Jr. said on Newsmax’s “The Balance.” Donald Trump Jr., left, and Nikki Haley (Getty Images)TRUMP SHARES CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FOR OPPONENTS ON TRUTH SOCIAL: ‘MAY THEY ROT IN HELL’”Nikki Haley wants never-ending wars,” he continued. “She’s a puppet of the establishment in Washington D.C. She’s the new favorite candidate of the billionaire class, because they want control — no different than academia at Harvard and using, you know, their billions to exercising influence. They want someone they control. Ron DeSantis has proven that he doesn’t have what it takes to be on that stage. He’s embarrassed himself that way. She’s now the preferred candidate.”Trump Jr. suggested Haley would try to sabotage Trump’s campaign “from within” if she was chosen as his running mate.”No, I would not want Nikki Haley to be there,” he added. “By the way, all you’d get is her and team trying to destroy Donald Trump from within, forever. The second she ever got that, you know, anointment, it would be a disaster of epic proportions. So, I would hope that never is on the table, and I don’t think it is.” Former President Donald Trump speaks after exiting the courtroom for a break at New York Supreme Court, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)Trump Jr.’s comments came after Haley said she didn’t want the former president in the White House again, arguing that he would only bring “chaos” to the country.”Our world is on fire,” she said during a recent post-debate interview. “And you can’t defeat Democrat chaos with Republican chaos, and Donald Trump brings us chaos. So it’s not about being fit, it’s just I don’t think he’s the right person to be president.” Former UN ambassador and 2024 presidential hopeful Nikki Haley speaks during a Town Hall event in Agency, Iowa, on December 19, 2023. (CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA/AFP via Getty Images)Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, previously told Newsmax that she wouldn’t rule out Trump choosing Haley as his running mate.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Crazier things have happened,” she said. “I don’t know. I would never say never with Donald J. Trump. Never say never.”Fox News Digital has reached out to the Haley campaign for a response to Trump Jr.’s comments.Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub. Jessica Chasmar is an editor on the politics team for Fox News and Fox Business. Story tips can be sent to Jessica.Chasmar@fox.com.
