Nikki Haley outlines her South Carolina strategy: Unite the country and challenge Trump

Trump currently has an overwhelming lead in the polls over former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, but she has decided not to get out of the race for the Republican nomination.

As the Republican primary election approaches in her home state, Haley is trying to appeal to voters by arguing that she is the only candidate capable of uniting Americans.

South Carolina will vote this Saturday and everything seems to indicate that Haley will not benefit from the voters' preference. Trump's victory in the 2016 primary demonstrated his solid popularity, as well as the favor of the state's elected officials and the vast majority of congressional Republicans.

However, Haley has reiterated her ability to resist in the race, receiving large donations. Even from some, like Reid Hoffman, who are big donors to the Democratic Party. This, despite his previous losses to Trump.

Part of Haley's strategy draws on her vast foreign policy experience, gained during her two years as Trump's ambassador to the United Nations. In his campaign events, he includes more and more areas in which he claims he would have acted differently than his former boss.

“Absolutely, I will tell our NATO countries that they have to take their fair share, but that's done behind closed doors,” Haley said Sunday during a town hall on Fox News from Columbia, South Carolina.

It was a direct reference to Trump's warning to NATO allies during a campaign rally earlier this month, where he stated that he would “encourage” Russia “to do whatever it wants” to countries that are “rogues” — nations that, in their opinion, are not fulfilling their part in that alliance.

The head of NATO subsequently responded that Trump's attacks on long-standing international alliances and foreign aid could undermine security and put U.S. and European forces at risk.

“We need to make sure we tell our partners that it's in their best interest to maintain their own weight,” Haley emphasized Sunday. He added that “Trump did it by saying he was going to encourage Putin to invade our allies. That's the wrong way.”