Getty Nikki Haley's husband is Michael Haley.
Nikki Haley’s husband is Michael Haley, and he’s a military veteran who served his country in Afghanistan.
Nikki Haley is resigning as President Donald Trump’s UN ambassador, many sites reported on October 9, 2018. Michael Haley was previously the “First Husband” of South Carolina, and he joined the Army National Guard in 2006.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Michael Haley Helped Farmers in Afghanistan
A 2013 story about his return home from Afghanistan in The New York Daily News reported that Michael Haley helped Afghan farmers in that country while on deployment.
He wrote on Facebook: “It has been a great tour, but long 11 months in Afghanistan. I am very much looking forward to coming home to my family and the great state of South Carolina! I digress and reflect on the discerning words of Forrest Gump who said ‘I think I’ll go home now.'”
He entered the Army National Guard in 2006, according to Daily News.
2. Nikki Haley Met Her Husband Michael Haley in College
Nikki Haley is a 1994 graduate of Clemson. Michael Haley is also a graduate of Clemson, and that’s where he met his wife.
According to Herald Online, they met during “Nikki Haley’s first weekend at Clemson in 1989.” When Michael popped the question, it was at the school’s botanical garden.
They married in 1996.
3. The Haleys Have Two Children & They Married in Sikh & Methodist Ceremonies
Nikki and Michael Haley have two children together: Rena and Nalin. Nalin is a Clemson fan whose mother praised his ability to remember player statistics.
Nikki Haley was born Nimrata Nikki Randhawa to Sikh parents. According to The New York Times, she told the newspaper that she was “born and raised with the Sikh faith,” and that she married her husband in the Methodist church.
She told the Times that the couple’s children were baptized in the Methodist Church that the family attends. According to The Times, though, the Haleys had two wedding ceremonies, one that was Sikh and one at a Methodist Church in Hilton Head.
Nikki Haley told the Times she “converted to Christianity” before she married Michael. Her family ran a clothing business, and her father Ajit Randhawa is a biology professor, according to The Times.
4. Michael Haley Sometimes Writes About Politics on Facebook
Michael Haley fills his Facebook page with photos of his wife and family. Sometimes, he writes about sports. Sometimes, his posts are more political in nature. “Sean Penn commits treason…again. And Chelsea Manning, convicted of espionage against the US, is running for the Senate. And Patriots advance in the playoffs. Crazy past two days!” he wrote in January 2018.
He offers support for the military, writing in 2017, “The SC National Guard State Partnership Program with Colombia continues to grow and shine. We enjoyed supporting the Colombian Air Show 2017 with an unrivaled air demonstration of our F-16. A continued engagement is going on the next few days as we host several Colombian pilots and crew at our Army aviation facilities. #SCGuard #SCNG #Colombia #FAC.”
He praised Mike Pence as a “Genuine and classy guy!” He has also posted quotes from Ronald Reagan.
5. Haley Once Called Her Husband the ‘Coolest First Gentleman’
When her husband returned from Afghanistan, Haley took to Facebook to praise him. “It has been a long year but the Coolest First Gentleman Ever is headed home!” she wrote.
Michael Haley caused controversy when, during a visit to India, a Sikh cleric handed him his ceremonial sword. Critics said the clerk had violated religious law by doing so.
“If at all he wanted to honour him, he could have given him some other sword and not the one held by him,” one scholar told Times of India.