'I said a lot of tough things': CNN's Tapper corners Nikki Haley on her past Trump attacks

In former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley's interview with CNN's Jake Tapper released Thursday, Tapper cornered her about why she is now endorsing former President Donald Trump after a long, bitter campaign in which she went into great detail about why she considered him unfit for office.

Her response was largely to downplay what she said, and change the subject to attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris.

"It was pretty big news when you spoke at the Republican National Convention and officially endorsed former President Trump," said Tapper. "In the past, having covered you, you have called Mr. Trump 'toxic,' 'unhinged,' 'diminished.' You said he 'lacks moral clarity.' What made you endorse him?"

"I said a lot of tough things about him in the campaign. He said a lot of tough things about me in the campaign," said Haley. "That's what happens in campaigns. I don't think we need to apologize or take anything back ... what I will tell you, though, is the choice that we have at the time was Trump and Biden. Now it's Trump and Harris.

Read also: Morning Joe dredges up Nikki Haley's greatest hits on 'unhinged' Donald Trump

"Regardless, I know where Trump stands on policies," she continued. "I don't agree with him 100 percent of the time, and I said that, but I know when it comes to energy dominance, I know when it comes to national security, I know when it comes to keeping our enemies at bay, I know he's strong and I know he'll continue to do that. I know he'll deal with the border. You put that against Harris. I don't know that I agree with even 10 percent of her — she didn't do anything to fight what's happening at the border and if anything, she wants to decriminalize it ... she was one of the proponents for defunding the police in a time our streets are ridden with crime."

"I don't think she was a proponent of defunding the police," Tapper pushed back.

"She said supportive comments about the defund the police movement," said Haley.