Nikki Haley announced Monday she is joining the Hudson Institute — a conservative foreign-policy think tank — as their Walter P. Stern Chair.
The former South Carolina governor last month dropped out of the Republican presidential primary after failing to gain enough momentum against rival Donald Trump following Super Tuesday, when the former president swept nearly every contest.
During her 2024 bid, the former US ambassador to the UN stressed the importance of America’s alliances with Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan and said she will be using her position at Hudson to further her foreign-policy objectives by guiding other policymakers.
“When our policymakers fail to call out our enemies or acknowledge the importance of our alliances, the world is less safe. That is why Hudson’s work is so critical,” Haley said in a statement.
“They believe the American people should have the facts and policymakers should have the solutions to support a secure, free, and prosperous future. I look forward to partnering with them to defend the principles that make America the greatest country in the world.”
The Walter P. Stern Chair program started in 2020 to acknowledge the accomplishments of former Hudson Chairman Walter “Wally” Stern, who played a key role in propelling the institute into a well-known foreign-policy organization.
“Nikki is a proven, effective leader on both foreign and domestic policy,” Hudson President and CEO John Walters said in a statement. “In an era of worldwide political upheaval, she has remained a steadfast defender of freedom and an effective advocate for American security and prosperity. We are honored to have her join the Hudson team.”
Haley had been keeping a low profile in the month after dropping out of the race, spending time with her family and saying she was deliberating her next steps.
In her primary-race resignation speech, she challenged Trump to win over her supporters — but didn’t go as far as to endorse him.
“It is now up to Donald Trump to earn the votes of those in our party and beyond it who did not support [him]. And I hope he does that,” Haley said.
Sarah May Stern, chair of Hudson’s Board of Trustees, said of Haley’s new post, “It is fitting that Nikki has taken on this title.
“She is a courageous and insightful policymaker and these qualities are vital in making Hudson the powerhouse policy organization it is today, and I am extremely proud that she has joined the Institute.”
