Home Depot co-founder Ken Langone, who was once a supporter of former president Donald Trump, thinks that his time has "come and gone." The GOP megadonor threw his weight behind former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley.
What Happened: Langone thinks Haley's approach to the 2024 presidential election is "smart" and her "elegant" leadership is what the U.S. needs right now, in an interview with Fox News.
"I think she's just what we need right now. I think her approach is smart," Langone said. "And more importantly, I think the American people need this kind of leadership, statesman-like, elegant," he added.
This is another major win for Haley's campaign, which raised over half a million dollars at a recent fundraiser in New York.
The fundraiser's success, and now Langone's backing, could be a signal that GOP's wealthy donors are increasingly looking at alternatives to Trump.
In late November, the Koch-affiliated group Americans for Prosperity (AFP) endorsed Haley's bid, saying "She has what it takes to lead a policy agenda to take on our nation's biggest challenges."
Why It Matters: Langone has long been a Trump supporter and a GOP megadonor. However, he says Trump's last three months at the White House were "disgraceful" and his handling of the Jan. 6 events made it clear that he could not lead the country again.
"What Trump put this country through for the last three months of his presidency was disgraceful. I'm sorry. And I think, frankly, that to me, ruined his chances to succeed himself at some point," Langone said.
"So, you know, I think what happened on January 6th, all I had to say was, ‘Please go home.' You made known your feelings. Now go home," he added.
Langone also said that he couldn't support Florida Governor Ron DeSantis because his "numbers aren't moving."
Nikki Haley. Photo via Shutterstock
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