Haley says Trump is 'lying' about her record, chides him for refusing to debate

ROCHESTER, N.H — Nikki Haley slapped back at Donald Trump on Wednesday for throwing a "temper tantrum" at a New Hampshire rally, where he criticized her performance as U.N. ambassador.

She also pledged to tell voters "the truth" about the former president's record.

Trump told attendees of his Atkinson event on Tuesday that Haley was a "disaster" when she served in his administration and was "not tough enough" in her dealings with foreign countries.

"I know Trump threw a temper tantrum about me last night. I heard that," Haley said at a rally in Rochester. "And I've seen the commercials. I will always tell you the truth. I will always overcommunicate with you."

The competition for the GOP nomination has become more combative with less than a week until New Hampshire voters head to the polls. The state will hold its Republican and Democratic primaries on Jan. 23.

Haley has come under criticism from some Republicans who want to break with Trump, including former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, for declining to take on the GOP frontrunner for president more directly. Trump is facing a myriad of criminal charges and is standing trial in New York in civil case in which he is accused of falsifying his business records.

After coming in third place behind Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in Iowa's Caucuses earlier this week, Haley is stepping up her response to the former president's nascent attacks on her candidacy.

"One of those things that my friend Trump said was that I didn't want to close the border," Haley said. "You saw what I said about the border. He said I didn't want a wall. What I said is I don't want just a wall. We've got to do more than that to make sure we have no flow coming in. So we answered that question."

Trump's campaign has also said she wants to end Social Security. "I've literally never said that. Literally never said," Haley said Wednesday. "He honestly thinks if he says something it just becomes true."

Haley told voters it is now "silly season" in the presidential race. "While he's lying about me, I'm going to tell the truth about him."

The remark drew a tepid applause from attendees of her Rochester event, which attracted self-proclaimed independents and undecided Republican voters.

Trump is running an ad in New Hampshire assailing Haley's plan to raise the retirement age for younger Americans. And a Super PAC that is supporting him has been attacking a proposal she made as South Carolina governor to raise the gas tax.

"Just because you see a commercial, it's not true," Haley said as she laid into Trump.

Haley noted that Trump proposed increasing the retirement age to 70 when he was president and backed a 25 cent gas tax hike.

"Those are things he needs to answer for. Oh, that's right. He won't get on a debate stage. Well, maybe you can ask him another time," she said.

Trump has not participated in any of the Republican primary debates, and Haley said Tuesday she would not appear at them anymore, either, unless she is facing off against Trump or President Joe Biden. Haley debated DeSantis in Iowa last week but has declined invitations to spar with him again.

Haley has been dashing to events across the state since Tuesday. She campaigned at a ski resort in Carroll yesterday and plans to appear at a CNN town hall on Thursday with New Hampshire voters.

A volunteer with the Haley campaign said a crowd of more than 600 people were expected at the event in Rochester on Wednesday. The Haley campaign later said the event drew 375 people. An afternoon town hall that Haley hosted at the same American Legion three months ago in October drew a far smaller crowd of 100. The increase in interest in Haley reflects a tightening race in New Hampshire between the former South Carolina governor and the president she once served as United Nations ambassador.

A recent CNN survey had Haley seven points down to Trump.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Haley hits back at Trump, says former president 'lying' about her