Presidential candidate and former governor Nikki Haley has built a sizable nest egg since she left the Trump administration.
Key Details
- Haley has had a successful political career spanning nearly two decades, starting out in the South Carolina House of Representatives (2005–2011) and becoming governor (2011–2017).
- She was appointed as the 29th United States Ambassador to the United Nations in 2017 during the Trump administration before resigning from her position in 2018.
- Haley created the policy group Stand for America in 2019 and announced a presidential bid on February 14, 2023.
- Morning Consult notes that she is in fifth place in the presidential race with 3.9% of Republican voters.
- Between her departure in 2018 and 2023, Haley’s net worth has increased from $1 million to $8 million.
Why It’s Important
Nikki Haley has been very busy since she left her position in the Trump administration. As Forbes notes, Haley has followed a very tried-and-true path for wealth generation after a successful political career—selling speeches, consulting, writing books, and joining corporate boards.
When she left her position in 2018, speculation was that her departure was tied to ongoing financial issues that her real estate-owning parents Ajit and Raj Randhawa were undergoing in South Carolina at the time—selling their properties and losing their home after incurring severe debt. Haley’s spokesperson tells Forbes this is unrelated to her decision and points to her resignation letter to President Donald Trump.
“As a businessman, I expect you will appreciate my sense that returning from government to the private sector is not a step-down but a step up,” says Haley.
Haley has successfully operated behind the scenes for the past five years, giving speeches to groups like the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs and publishing two books—With All Due Respect (2019) and If You Want Something Done (2022).
Her advance payments ($350,000 for the latter), speeches ($2.3 million in 2022), consulting fees ($700,000), and corporate positions at Boeing and United Homes Group (totaling $550,000) have helped her accumulate and grow a small fortune prior to her presidential run.