Haley: Trump’s going birther because he’s ‘threatened’ and ‘insecure’

“Well, first, I am the proud daughter of Bamberg, South Carolina, so I love my sweet town and I’m proud to say I’m from there. So, that’s the first question, we can throw that out the window,” Haley told Tapper, who acknowledged that Haley is eligible to run for president.

Expounding upon Trump’s post, the former U.N. ambassador said Trump’s race-baiting broadside “doesn’t bother me.”

“I know that I am a threat. I know that’s why he’s doing that,” she said. “So it’s not going to waste any energy from me. I’m going to continue to focus on the things that people want to talk about and not get into the name-calling back with him.”

Haley’s campaign this week has put out videos trolling Trump, as well as ones featuring flattering things he said about Haley when she worked for his administration. Both she and her campaign have made clear that Haley, despite failing to surpass Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for second place in Iowa, is proceeding as if Trump is her only remaining rival.

Natalie Allison contributed to this report.