Then-presidential candidate Nikki Haley waves to supporters alongside her son, Nalin Haley, and her daughter, Rena Haley, in Charleston, South Carolina, on February 24, 2024. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)
By Michael Austin November 24, 2025 at 4:30am
Former United Nations Ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is known as a member of the neoconservative wing of the Republican Party.
During her 2024 presidential primary campaign, she notably expressed interventionist instincts toward the war in Ukraine and the conflict in Israel.
But Nalin Haley, her 24-year-old son, has been finding his public voice, aligning himself much more with the populist wing of the party.
The younger Haley has a burgeoning platform on social media, which he often uses to decry both illegal and legal immigration.
He also voices concern about the country’s economic future, especially with respect to housing and cost of living, for fellow members of Generation Z.
Key takeaways on my first TV interview on Fox News’ Primetime with guest host @RCamposDuffy
* The future of GenZ is Nationalist
* Both illegal and legal immigration must stop
*Ban H-1B Visas
* Reevaluate our relationship with so called “Allies”
* And GenZ’s desire for labor,… pic.twitter.com/QWo18UamKu— Nalin Haley (@Nalin_Haley) November 11, 2025
“The rise of the Young Right is inevitable. We will correct the mistakes of previous generations and save America,” Haley said in one post.
“You’re not radical for wanting a job, affordable housing, and safe streets. You’re rational! Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise,” he told fellow young people.
His biggest break so far was an interview with Tucker Carlson, during which he discussed his recent conversion to Roman Catholicism.
“I had an experience where I was researching, and it was as if, in an instant, I heard, ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.’ As if the knowledge, the truth of God, was placed instantly, after that was said, in my mind and in my heart,” Haley recounted, as noted by The Christian Post.
“And it’s funny, after all these years, I’ve struggled to really put into words that experience and that feeling.”
Haley, whose maternal grandparents were Sikhs, attributed that inclination to the drawing of the Holy Spirit.
“I had always heard about the Holy Spirit, right? Everyone hears about it. But when that happened, I was like, ‘Oh, that’s what that is, right?’ Because [the Holy Spirit] was just some mythical thing that I had read about, but then it happened, and I was just like, ‘This is really interesting.’”
Beyond his recent move toward Christianity, Haley sometimes draws negative attention for rejecting some of the political positions held by his mother.
But the younger Haley seems to respect his mother despite their disagreements on some matters.
“I’m from a different generation so naturally I have different positions. Do you have identical views to your mom?” he asked one user.
“I didn’t think so. Assuming someone’s views based on their parents views makes you close minded,” he added.
Michael wrote for several entertainment news outlets before joining The Western Journal in 2020. He now serves as Managing Editor, which involves managing the editorial team and operations; guiding the editorial direction of The Western Journal; and writing, editing, curating and assigning stories as needed.
Birthplace
Ames, Iowa
Nationality
American
Education
Iowa State University
Topics of Expertise
Cultural Politics, Entertainment News, Christian-Conservatism
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