Former President Donald Trump referred to one of his primary opponents — former Governor Nikki Haley (R-SC) — as a “birdbrain,” and in an apparent effort to drive the point home, his campaign delivered a birdcage and a bag of seeds to her hotel room.
Trump made the comment in a post to Truth Social after the second Republican primary debate — which he did not attend — saying, “‘I will never run against our great President,’ she said, ‘he has done an outstanding job.’ To which I responded, ‘How nice of you to say, Nikki,’ knowing full well that her words mean nothing. She even came to Mar-a-Lago with her family, ‘bearing gifts.’ Anyway, Birdbrain doesn’t have the TALENT or TEMPERAMENT to do the job. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Haley shared a photo of the “gift” in a post on X, adding the caption, “After a day of campaigning, this is the message waiting for me outside my hotel room … #PrettyPatheticTryAgain #YouJustMadeMyCaseForMe.”
After a day of campaigning, this is the message waiting for me outside my hotel room…#PrettyPatheticTryAgain#YouJustMadeMyCaseForMe pic.twitter.com/htbSumo58r
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) October 1, 2023
Critics attacked Haley in the responses, accusing her of fabricating a hoax and referencing convicted hoaxer Jussie Smollett.
And then they yelled, “This is MAGA country!” pic.twitter.com/oxkPQUGbRQ
— Prison Mitch (@MidnightMitch) October 1, 2023
— Cernovich (@Cernovich) October 1, 2023
But according to The Messenger’s national political reporter Marc Caputo, the Trump campaign — in addition to dropping the birdcage off at Haley’s hotel — had texted him to make sure someone in the media was aware they had done it.
“At 1:30 am, the Trump camp texted me the birdcage-and-feed photo in front of Haley’s Des Moines hotel door After I woke up, we posted a story about it @TheMessenger,” Caputo said via X. “Now some people are suggesting we fell for a hoax lol. Check some of the replies THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE!”
At 1:30 am, the Trump camp texted me the birdcage-and-feed photo in front of Haley’s Des Moines hotel door
After I woke up, we posted a story about it @TheMessenger
Now some people are suggesting we fell for a hoax lol
Check some of the replies
THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE! https://t.co/oyTZDUQZrR pic.twitter.com/3iwopd1F53
— Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) October 1, 2023
The Dispatch’s Andrew Egger responded as well, adding, “Weird story here — Trump campaign leaves a birdcage at Haley’s hotel, then messages @MarcACaputo about it to brag. But when Haley posts about it she’s dogpiled by folks who say she did it herself! Sort of thing that couldn’t happen before personalized algorithmic news consumption.”
Weird story here–Trump campaign leaves a birdcage at Haley's hotel, then messages @MarcACaputo about it to brag. But when Haley posts about it she's dogpiled by folks who say she did it herself! Sort of thing that couldn't happen before personalized algorithmic news consumption https://t.co/CH6eFvyQ1k
— Andrew Egger (@EggerDC) October 1, 2023