Nimrata Nikki Randhawa Haley, known as Nikki Haley, is an American politician, diplomat, author, and businesswoman born on January 20, 1972, in Bamberg, South Carolina. Of Indian Punjabi Sikh descent, she was raised in a family that owned a small clothing business, Exotica International, and faced racial discrimination in the rural South. Haley converted from Sikhism to Christianity (Methodist) after marrying Michael Haley, a South Carolina Army National Guard captain, in 1996. They have two children: daughter Rena and son Nalin.

Before entering politics, Haley worked as an accountant at KPMG and later managed her family's business. Her political career began with her election to the South Carolina House of Representatives as a Republican in 2004, serving from 2005 until her resignation in 2010 to become governor. In 2010, she became the first female, first non-white, and youngest governor in the U.S. at that time, serving South Carolina from 2011 to 2017. As governor, she gained national attention for her response to the 2015 Charleston church shooting, leading efforts to remove the Confederate flag from the state capitol. Her tenure focused on economic development, job creation, and education reform, though it was marked by controversies including ethics probes on travel expenses, allegations of cronyism, and criticism over economic incentives offered to Boeing, including a $105 million package, which attracted labor union backlash and lawsuits despite investigations finding no wrongdoing.

From January 2017 to December 2018, Haley served as the 29th U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations under President Donald Trump, becoming the first Indian-American to hold a cabinet-level position. In this role, she was a staunch pro-Israel advocate, notably pushing for U.S. recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights in 2019, defending Israel's actions in international forums, and vocally opposing the Iran nuclear deal. She resigned amid reported tensions with Trump.

Post-diplomacy, Haley has been the Walter P. Stern Chair at the Hudson Institute since 2019, a lifetime member of Clemson University's Board of Trustees, and a board member at Boeing (since 2018) and News Corp, drawing criticism for possible conflicts of interest linked to her gubernatorial ties to Boeing. She has authored several books, including "Can't Is Not an Option" (2012), "With All Due Respect" (2019), and "If You Want Something Done" (2022), and founded the Stand With Her PAC to support Republican women.

In 2023, Haley announced her candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination as a Trump alternative, emphasizing foreign policy hawkishness, domestic conservatism, and strong national security positions, including support for Ukraine against Russia and opposition to China. She finished second to Donald Trump in the primaries before suspending her campaign in March 2024 and endorsing him.

Throughout her career, Haley has aligned with fiscal conservatism and pro-Israel stances, maintained influence through strong ties to pro-Israel groups and endorsements from figures like Jim DeMint, while facing intra-party criticism from figures such as Ann Coulter. She has denied allegations of an extramarital affair with lobbyist Jon Massey, which surfaced in 2008 and were described as a smear; ethics probes cleared her of wrongdoing. Financially, her net worth is estimated at $8 million, derived from book deals, speaking fees, and board memberships, with major donors including Charles Koch and Miriam Adelson. Haley is recognized as a trailblazer for women and minorities in GOP politics, though she has faced criticism for her positions on immigration, trade, and social issues, including past support for a state immigration law later challenged at the federal level.