In a stunning and bizarre moment at a South Carolina rally, former US President Donald Trump leveraged a macabre internet rumour to launch a political attack on his Republican rival, Nikki Haley.
The incident unfolded as Trump addressed supporters, criticising Haley for her absence from the state's primary ballot. In a move that left many attendees and commentators aghast, he referenced a false online conspiracy theory that had falsely reported her death.
'She wasn't on the ballot,' Trump stated from the podium. 'But a lot of people don't even know she's still in the race. There was a report two days ago that she was dead.'
His comments were met with a mix of laughter and surprise from the crowd, highlighting the increasingly contentious and personal nature of the Republican primary race. The remark is seen as one of his most peculiar and inflammatory jabs at the former South Carolina governor to date.
This event underscores the intense pressure within the GOP as candidates vie for the nomination. Trump's decision to use a death hoax, rather than substantive policy debate, to undermine a competitor has been widely criticised as a new low in modern political discourse.
Haley's campaign has yet to issue a formal response to the former president's latest provocation, leaving political analysts to ponder the strategic silence in the face of such an unusual attack.
