The race between former President Donald Trump and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley recently grew heated after Trump raised questions about Haley's husband. 

According to CNN, the drama began this weekend when Trump observed that Michael Haley was not accompanying his wife on the campaign trail.

"What happened to her husband?"

"Where’s her husband?" Trump was quoted as asking supporters while speaking at a rally in Conway, South Carolina on Saturday. "Oh, he’s away… What happened to her husband? Where is he? He’s gone."

CNN noted that Mr. Haley is serving in Africa with the South Carolina Army National Guard, a fact she brought up at a rally of her own.

"If you mock the service of a combat veteran, you don’t deserve a driver’s license, let alone being president of the United States," the former United Nations Ambassador declared in Gilbert, South Carolina.

"Donald, if you have something to say, don’t say it behind my back; get on a debate stage and say it to my face," she went on to add.

Haley's husband fires back at Trump

CNN noted that Haley's husband also responded to the controversy by posting a meme to X, the Social Media platform previously known as Twitter.

Nikki Haley’s husband, Maj. Michael Haley, tweeted this after Trump attacked her today for him not being with her. (He’s a commissioner officer deployed in Africa with the SC national guard.) https://t.co/6MX73KoX0W

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 11, 2024

"The difference between humans and animals? Animals would never allow the dumbest ones to lead the pack," the meme read.

Newsweek noted how Trump's comments may have been a reference to longstanding allegations that Haley previously had affairs with two men.

Trump campaign officials says Haley "is persona non grata" in the GOP

Justin Evans serves as Trump's director of special projects in South Carolina, and he drew a contrast between the former president and Haley in an interview with CNN.

"Nikki is persona non grata at this point," Evans told the network, adding that she "represents the brand of Republicanism that Trump stands against."

"Everything the George Bush-Karl Rove wing of the party is embodied in Nikki Haley and represented by Nikki Haley," Evans insisted.

"This is their last gasp, and they know that if they lose this, they’re going to have almost an impossible task of regaining any kind of foothold not only in this election, but in the party," he declared.