Matt Rourke/AP; Peter Zay/Anadolu via Getty Images
- Nikki Haley took aim at Trump while appearing in a sketch on Saturday Night Live.
- Haley questioned his mental competency and made references to his legal woes.
- As Trump's final GOP challenger, Haley been ramping up attacks against him.
Nikki Haley made a surprise appearance on Saturday Night Live to mock her GOP presidential nomination rival, former President Donald Trump, over his mental competency and legal issues.
In the sketch, Haley appeared as a "concerned South Carolina voter" at a CNN town hall, asking Trump, who was being played by James Austin Johnson, questions.
"My question is why won't you debate Nikki Haley?" she asked.
Johnson responded by calling her Nancy Pelosi — referencing a recent gaffe in which Trump appeared to mix up his GOP rival and the Democratic former House Speaker.
Haley responded: "Are you doing OK, Donald? You might need a mental competency test?"
“I see dead people.” That’s exactly what voters will think if this race is between Trump and Biden in the fall.
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) February 4, 2024
Had a blast tonight on SNL! Know it was past Donald’s bedtime so looking forward to the stream of unhinged tweets in the a.m. pic.twitter.com/W43LlPOoi2
"You know what, I did. I took the test, and I aced it, OK? Perfect score. They said I'm 100% mental," Johnson responded as Trump.
Trump has often defended himself against questions about his cognitive abilities by claiming he has "aced" a cognitive test.
Johnson, as Trump, then went on to say that women should not run the economy as they are terrible with money.
He added that a woman recently asked him for $83 million — a reference to damages Trump has been ordered to pay to writer E. Jean Carroll for defamation after she accused him of rape.
Haley retorted: "And you've spent $50 million in your own legal fees. Do you need to borrow some money?"
Johnson, as Trump, then started to ramble, ending his rant with a non-sequitur: "I see dead people!"
"Yeah, that's what voters will say if they see you and Joe on the ballot," Haley said.
Haley's appearance is likely to be an attempt to appeal to voters but also to get under Trump's skin.
Throughout Trump's presidency, Saturday Night Live often satirized his administration, which he regularly criticized and objected to on Twitter. He particularly took issue with Alec Baldwin's portrayal of him, which won the actor an Emmy.
Haley, Trump's final remaining GOP challenger, has been ramping up attacks against him in recent weeks and sharpening her focus on his age and mental competency.
She has sought to lump Trump and President Joe Biden together as "Grump Old Men" in her latest campaign ads, presenting herself as a fresh option.
The two are going head to head in the upcoming primary in Haley's home state, South Carolina, where she was formerly governor.