Monday, 22 January 2024

a little bit of sanity

Nikki Haley and her husband, Michael, have been married for 26 years. Here's a timeline of their relationship.

Nikki Haley rests her head on husband Michael Haley's shoulder
Former governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley is widely expected to announce a 2024 run for president.
Brett Flashnick/AP
  • Former governor and UN ambassador Nikki Haley is running for president in 2024.
  • She and her husband, Michael Haley, met in college and have been married for 26 years.
  • They have two children: Their daughter, Rena, is a pediatric nurse, and son Nalin is in college.
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1989: Nikki Haley (née Randhawa) and Michael Haley met as students at Clemson University.

Nikki Haley and husband Michael Haley look at a phone
Nikki Haley and her husband Michael Haley in June 2010. 
Brett Flashnick/AP

The couple met during Nikki's first weekend at Clemson when she was 17 and Michael was 19, The Herald reported.

College friends told Politico in a 2021 profile that Nikki's parents initially did not approve of her boyfriend, and that it was Nikki who decided that he should go by his middle name, Michael, instead of his first name, Bill.

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September 7, 1996: Nikki and Michael wed in Hilton Head, South Carolina.

Nikki Haley rests her head on husband Michael Haley's shoulder
Nikki Haley with her husband Michael Haley in June 2010. 
Brett Flashnick/AP

They held two wedding ceremonies, one Sikh and one Methodist.

"I was born and raised with the Sikh faith, my husband and I were married in the Methodist Church, our children have been baptized in the Methodist Church, and currently we attend both," she told The New York Times in 2010.

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June 1998: They welcomed their first child, a daughter named Rena.

Nikki Haley and husband Michael Haley with daughter Rena Haley
Nikki Haley sits with her husband, Michael, and their daughter, Rena, during her inauguration ceremony in January 2015. 
Richard Shiro/AP

Rena graduated from Clemson University in 2021, where she majored in nursing and minored in psychology, according to her LinkedIn profile. She now works as a pediatric nurse in South Carolina.

In July, Rena got engaged to longtime boyfriend Joshua Jackson, whom she met at Clemson.

"He asked…She said yes! And just like that, we have another son. So proud and happy for both of them," Nikki wrote on Twitter.

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September 2001: Their son, Nalin, was born.

Nikki Haley and Michael Haley with their two children, Rena and Nalin
Nikki Haley with her husband, Michael, daughter Rena, and son Nalin in the drawing room of the Governor's Mansion in Columbia, South Carolina, in 2015. 
Richard Shiro/AP

Nalin is currently a junior at Villanova University.

Nikki posted on Twitter about helping her son move into his dorm for his sophomore year in 2021.

"Prayers that this year is better than the last Covid year," she wrote. "His class missed out on their high school senior year and freshman college year in so many ways. So proud of him but miss him already. Have a great year Nalin. We love you."

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November 2004: Nikki was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives.

Nikki Haley as South Carolina State Representative for the 87th district in 2009.
Nikki Haley as South Carolina State Representative for the 87th district in 2009. 
Tim Dominick/The State/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Nikki unseated Larry Koon, who was the longest-serving legislator in South Carolina at the time, according to Greenville News.

She served three terms as a state representative until she ran for governor in 2010.

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January 2011: Michael held the family Bible as Nikki was sworn in as governor of South Carolina.

Nikki Haley is sworn in as governor of South Carolina
Nikki Haley is sworn in as governor of South Carolina in January 2011. 
Gerry Melendez/The State/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Nikki was the first woman to serve as governor of the state.

"On this special day, I want to thank Michael and my two sweet children for the unconditional love and support they continue to show me," she said in her inaugural address. "We as a family are honored to serve this great state."

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January 2013: Michael began an 11-month deployment to Afghanistan with the National Guard.

Nikki Haley and her husband Michael Haley at a deployment ceremony before his military duty in Afghanistan
Senator Lindsey Graham, Governor Nikki Haley, Captain Michael Haley, and daughter Rena Haley talk before a deployment ceremony in January 2013. 
Rainier Ehrhardt/AP

Michael joined the National Guard in 2006, but he was not deployed overseas until 2013. His unit, the Agribusiness Development Team, worked to help support local farmers in Afghanistan with growing crops to sustain their communities.

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December 2013: Michael returned home from his tour of duty.

Nikki Haley cries as she hugs her husband Michael Haley after his return from Afghanistan
Nikki Haley hugs her husband, Michael Haley, during a homecoming ceremony in December 2013. 
Rainier Ehrhardt/AP

While he was deployed, Nikki and Michael communicated mostly by email, the Associated Press reported.

"There's a lot lost in translation," Michael said. "You don't get the emotion, the humor you get in one-on-one communication on the telephone or physically being there."

Michael arrived home just in time for Christmas.

"Seeing him, I felt like I took my first breath in a year," Nikki told the Associated Press.

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November 2014: They visited India together to encourage trade and business opportunities with South Carolina.

Nikki Haley and Michael Haley in India
Governor Nikki Haley and husband Michael Haley arrive at an event in Jalandhar, India. 
SHAMMI MEHRA/AFP via Getty Images

On the 10-day tour, Nikki met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and spoke to business leaders about investing in South Carolina.

"I see opportunity here. Our government structures are the same. We want to be here. I want Indian companies investing in South Carolina," Nikki said at an event with the Confederation of Indian Industry, The Economic Times reported.

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January 2015: Nikki was sworn in for a second term as governor with her husband and children at her side.

Nikki Haley is sworn in as governor in 2015
Nikki Haley is sworn into her second term as governor in January 2015. 
Richard Shiro/AP

Nikki once again thanked her husband and children in her inaugural address.

"They understand that we are a family of service," she said. "Service always brings with it some level of sacrifice, but it is my family and their love of South Carolina that motivates me."

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January 2017: The Haleys moved to New York City after President Donald Trump appointed Nikki to serve as ambassador to the United Nations.

Trump Nikki Haley
Nikki Haley with President Donald Trump at the White House. 
Evan Vucci/AP

Despite public disagreements and tensions with Trump during the 2016 campaign, Nikki Haley accepted a position in his Cabinet, resigning as governor of South Carolina to serve as UN ambassador. She and her husband, son, and dog Bentley moved to a New York City apartment near the UN (Rena had already moved to the dorms of Clemson University).

"Certainly living in a city like this is very different, but we've all adjusted very well and my son loves it," Nikki told "Today" in March 2017. "He's decided he's a city boy and Bentley has gotten used to the fact that there's no grass. It's been great."

Nikki resigned as UN ambassador two years later.

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September 2019: The Haleys moved back to South Carolina, prompting speculation that Nikki would reenter politics in the future.

Nikki Haley and Michael Haley at the South Carolina governor inauguration in 2019
Nikki Haley with her husband, Michael Haley, during the inauguration ceremony for South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster in Columbia, South Carolina, in January 2019. 
Sean Rayford/AP

The Haleys closed on a home on Kiawah Island in South Carolina.

"South Carolina has always been home for the Haleys, and they couldn't be more excited to return back to their family and friends in the Palmetto State," her spokesperson Chaney Denton told the Associated Press.

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September 7, 2022: Nikki and Michael celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary.

Nikki Haley and husband Michael Haley
Nikki Haley and her husband, Michael Haley, in Washington, DC. 
Alex Brandon/AP

"Thankful for 26 years of good times, challenging times, fun times, and sweet times with my best friend," Nikki wrote on Twitter. "Now going into a new season of growth for our kids, a wedding, and empty nesting. Here's to the next #26 I love you Michael."

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Humour Writing by the fat silver haired writer in shades from Birmingham England read in 167 countries so far https://www.amazon.co.uk/Micha...