Haley mocks Trump, Dems at fundraiser
New York Daily News
NEW YORK — Outgoing U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley poked fun at President Donald Trump’s inflated ego and total lack of self-awareness Thursday night at the Al Smith Foundation annual dinner.
Ms. Haley, who announced her uncoupling from the Trump administration last week, was the keynote speaker at the high-profile fundraiser in honor of the former governor of New York.
The former South Carolina governor, whose reasons for her split with the president still have not been fully explained, started her speech with a joke about Mr. Trump’s thin skin.
“Everyone in Washington called me with advice about this speech. They all said the same thing: Do not under any circumstances make any jokes about the president. So, good night everybody,” she said to laughter from the crowd.
“Actually, the president called me this morning and gave me some really good advice,” she went on.
“He said if I get stuck for laughs, just brag about his accomplishments. It really killed at the U.N., let me tell you,” Ms. Haley said.
The ambassador alluded to Mr. Trump’s controversial appearance at the Al Smith dinner two years ago just before he won election. Mr. Trump and Hillary Clinton both sat at the dais, but he took what many believed were a few discourteous swipes at his Democratic rival.
“Two years ago President Trump was here and he made some waves with his remarks,” Ms. Haley said. “Apparently, no one here could have predicted that. Last year, you went with Paul Ryan, who’s a Boy Scout, which is all right, but a little boring. So this year you wanted to spice things up again, I get it, you wanted an Indian woman, but Elizabeth Warren failed her DNA test.”
She continued to poke fun at Mr. Trump’s cultural ignorance.
“Actually, when the president found out that I was Indian-American he asked me if I was from the same tribe as Elizabeth Warren.”
The ambassador poked fun at Mr. Trump’s response to the recent Bob Woodward book.
“The president got really mad at Bob Woodward’s book,” she said. “The book compared him to a fifthgrader. A lot of Democrats seized on that, until they realized that they got beaten by fifth-grader.”
Ms. Haley also poked fun at New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York liberals.
“Mayor, remember: As a member of the U.N. delegation, I do have diplomatic immunity. You’re all aware of diplomatic immunity. It’s an exemption from prosecution, or as Mayor de Blasio calls it — a sanctuary city,” she said.
She also poked fun at the mayor’s resistance to raids made by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, which goes by the acronym ICE.
“Oh, look: I got the mayor’s drink by mistake,” she said. “Look, no ice.
“When I saw the mayor backstage I told him I was really glad to be here. He said, ‘Me too.’ Mayor, it’s not a good idea for a man to ever use that phrase. I’m definitely getting my car towed tonight.”
The Al Smith Foundation, which provides education and health assistance to children and families, raised $3.9 million from the event.