'Never thought he'd make it': Nikki Haley says Biden dropout gives her no joy

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R-SC) weighed in on her reaction to President Joe Biden declining to seek a second term, and Vice President Kamala Harris stepping in as the presumptive Democratic nominee, in an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper released on Thursday.

Haley, who was one of Trump's strongest opponents in the primary and a de facto protest vote by anti-Trump Republicans, has since backtracked and endorsed Trump's candidacy for 2024.

Tapper started by asking Haley whether she was surprised by Biden's decision.

"I wasn't surprised and I didn't take happiness in it," said Haley. "You know, I mean, I think through the whole campaign, you — I fought for mental competency tests. I wasn't doing it to be disrespectful, wasn't doing it to be mean. I was doing it because I think it's not just Joe Biden. There is an issue that we have in D.C. where people will go into office and they won't let go and then their staffers and their family keep propping them up and it's a problem for the American people."

"And so I never thought he would make it ... I always said a vote for Joe Biden is a vote for Kamala Harris," she continued. "And I think that's what's playing out."

She added, going back to her prior comments that the party that gets rid of their elderly nominee first is likely to win, that Democrats were "very smart" to pressure Biden to exit the race — but that they chose "the weakest candidate" they could to replace him.