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For speechwriters, remarks after a primary victory are an easy lift. In fact, the speeches practically write themselves: Candidates thank their supporters for their hard work, they express their appreciation to their campaign staff, they congratulate their defeated rivals, and they say a few words about the road ahead.
Donald Trump could’ve stuck to this template after winning the New Hampshire primary by roughly 11 points, but as Politico noted, the former president went in a very different direction.
Donald Trump used his victory speech to attack Nikki Haley after she vowed to continue her campaign in South Carolina. Earlier [in the evening], Haley, who lost to Trump in New Hampshire, congratulated the former president on his win but announced she has no plans to drop out of the race yet.
Reflecting on his reaction to the former ambassador’s remarks, Trump told supporters, “I said, wow, she’s doing a speech like she won. She didn’t win. She lost. Let’s not have somebody take a victory when she had a very bad night. She had a very bad night.”
It was quite a speech. During relatively brief remarks, the likely GOP nominee not only slammed Haley for appearing pleased about the primary results, he also referenced unnamed Haley scandals that “she doesn’t want to talk about” and even took aim at her attire.
“You can’t let people get away with bull----,” Trump added. “And when I watched her in the fancy dress that probably wasn’t so fancy, I said, ‘What’s she doing? We won.’”
The former president concluded, “I don’t get too angry, I get even.”
On his social media platform, he was every bit as agitated, condemning Haley as “DELUSIONAL!!!” for sticking around after losing. He added, “Could somebody please explain to Nikki Haley that she lost — and lost really badly.”
For good measure the former president wrote, “NIKKI CAME IN LAST, NOT SECOND!”
Earlier today, Trump told reporters that “I don’t care if she stays in” the race after New Hampshire. He clearly didn’t mean a word of that.
Trump’s grievance-filled meltdown was predictable but unnecessary. He’s effectively wrapped up his party’s nomination; he’s consolidating party support; and he’s shifting his attention to the general election. Haley can continue, but it’s increasingly difficult to see her candidacy as relevant.
But let’s not miss the forest for the trees — because the irony of the circumstances is staggering.
Donald Trump, of all people, is outraged that a candidate reacted to a defeat by presenting a second-place finish as a success. He thinks it’s "delusional" for a losing candidate to stick around in the wake of an electoral rebuke. He's disgusted by the very idea of someone "doing a speech like they won" after losing.
Why, Trump effectively asked, can’t Haley simply accept defeat?
Self-awareness isn’t among the former president’s strong suits.