Desi MAGA backer: Who is Nalin Haley? Son of Indian-origin ex-US ambassador taking on Vivek Ramaswamy
Nalin Haley, the 24-year-old son of Indian-origin Nikki Haley, former US ambassador to the UN and South Carolina governor, is back in the spotlight after launching a sharp online attack on ex-DOGE lead and fellow Indian-origin conservative Vivek Ramaswamy. The clash erupted after Ramaswamy unveiled parts of his education and childcare agenda for his 2026 Ohio governor bid.Haley criticised Ramaswamy’s pitch to extend school hours and keep schools open year-round to reduce childcare costs, posting on X: “This creep should not be near any child and we absolutely can’t have his third world parenting style imposed on American kids.”Ramaswamy, expected to face Democrat Amy Acton, has been promoting a wider set of reforms – higher reading and maths standards, more phonics-based learning, performance-linked teacher pay and removing “ideological content” from classrooms.
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Haley also resurfaced a 2022 screenshot of Ramaswamy’s comment that Republicans should use “rhymes” when naming laws and rename “don’t say gay” to “wait until 8.”Haley has increasingly positioned himself within the hard-right “America First” wing. Earlier, he called for banning all legal and illegal immigration, ending H-1B visas and restricting naturalised citizens – including those with dual citizenship – from holding office. He has said dual citizenship is a “stupid idea.”His comments have triggered criticism from multiple groups, including white nationalists who questioned his loyalty due to his Indian-origin background and his mother Nikki Haley’s Punjabi Sikh roots. Haley has stood by his positions, arguing his loyalty lies with America and hoping the GOP eventually adopts such views.
Early life, education and political exposure
Born in 2001 to Nikki Haley and Michael Haley, Nalin grew up partly in New York when his mother served as US ambassador to the UN. He studied political science at Villanova University in Philadelphia and was confirmed into the Catholic Church in South Carolina on Palm Sunday in 2025.During the 2024 Republican presidential primaries, he campaigned for his mother. At a rally in Gilbert, South Carolina, he referred to Senator Tim Scott as “Senator Judas.” He later said his motivation was mainly to be a “good son,” according to publicly available accounts.
Career and public activism
After the 2024 election, Haley became more vocal on social media, arguing for tougher immigration curbs, reduced foreign student admissions and even deportation or denaturalisation of certain public figures – positions highlighted in Fox News coverage.He currently works in the finance industry around the Charlotte metropolitan area while continuing to promote his political views.Despite sharing Indian-origin roots and being part of the broader conservative ecosystem, Nalin Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy now stand on opposite ends of the Republican spectrum – a contrast that has turned their recent online clash into a talking point within US right-wing politics.
