Haley Says She's Not Obligated to Endorse Trump

It was clear this wasn't a subject Nikki Haley wanted to talk about, but pressed Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press, the presidential candidate backed away from any obligation to support Donald Trump if he becomes the Republican nominee. The Republican National Committee had required all candidates to sign a pledge saying they'd support the GOP winner before they could take part in the first debate last year. Haley also had said separately that she'd back Trump if she lost to him. NBC News reports that Haley was asked on Sunday, "So you're no longer bound by that pledge?"

"No, I think I'll make what decision I want to make, but that's not something I'm thinking about," she answered, noting that "if you talk about an endorsement, you're talking about a loss. I don't think like that." The former UN ambassador said she'd agreed so she could be on the debate stage; Trump said at the time he'd sign no such pledge. Anyway, the RNC has changed, Haley said. Ronna McDaniel remains the chair but is on the way out to make room for Trump's choices to run the operation. "The RNC is not the same RNC," Haley said, adding, "Now it's Trump's."

Another topic she talked around, eventually coming down on both sides of it, was in vitro fertilization. Haley at first passed when asked if she supported federal protections for such treatments, per NBC. "We don't need to go and create a bunch of laws for something when we don't have a problem," Haley answered. Asked again if federal protections were needed, she said, "Yes, to make sure that IVF is there to make sure that parents have it, all of that." (After victories Saturday, Trump has 10 times the delegates Haley has.)