Nalin Haley, the 24‑year‑old son of former South Carolina governor and former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, says his generation is grappling with a set of frustrations that are reshaping Republican politics. He points to the recent election of socialist Zohran Mamdani as the New York City mayor as evidence that Gen Z voters feel unheard, and he thinks the party’s failure to listen cost it the race.
“My friends graduated with great degrees from great schools, and a year and a half later, none of them have a job. And that makes me upset because they didn’t do anything wrong. They did everything they were supposed to,” Nalin told The Post.
“I think [people who voted for Mamdani are] saying the same things. They just have some different ways to fix the problems. My issue is that the Democrats are listening to the younger people and it’s time for the Republicans to do the same.”
After working in finance in Fort Mill, South Carolina, Nalin took the national stage when he appeared on Tucker Carlson’s show, offering a more hawkish take on immigration and foreign policy than his mother’s more measured approach. He noted that his stance differs only because he grew up in a different era.
“I’m just from a different generation, so I have different viewpoints than my mom,” he explained. “You have parents with their ideas, and you have kids, and particularly if it’s a conservative household, they are going in a different direction … It’s literally every American household that is Republican.”
His own politics are a mix of a hard‑line stance on citizenship, a “just another country” view of Israel, and an unwavering “America First” creed. He identifies as a Christian, a populist and a nationalist, insisting that he reflects a broader Gen Z conservative mindset.
“I think we are seeing a shift in the economic stances of young Republicans, because … a free market is basically just a lawless market,” he said. “I’m tired of the Republican Party selling itself to elites and corporations while screwing over American workers.”
A Villanova University graduate with a B.A. in political science, Nalin has voiced strong skepticism about immigration. He argues that H‑1B visas and broad legal immigration should be curtailed because the economy is fragile, companies are not hiring domestically, and artificial intelligence is taking over many jobs.
“… it makes no sense to have foreign workers come here while we actually are not hiring our own kids,” he pointed out.
Despite his maternal grandparents’ Indian heritage, he insists his identity is rooted wholly in the United States. “All I’ve ever known is America. … I’m not gonna have any sort of weird loyalty to a country where I’ve never been.”
Beyond immigration, Nalin warns that Gen Z Republicans are deeply concerned about a housing crisis and what he calls “corruption with insider trading.” He claims younger conservatives feel jaded by contemporary trends and long for a return to more traditional values.
“He says that the Democrats are doing a better job addressing young people’s struggles than Republicans are,” an Associated Press piece noted, explaining that these concerns shaped the mayoral outcome.
Nalin’s upbringing can be described as both privileged and normal. His parents ensured he had a typical childhood, even while he lived in the governor’s mansion, which he attributes as a supportive backdrop for his life choices.
Though he has remained largely offline—using social media only on weekdays and limiting himself to two tweets a day—he says his influences come from independent thinking rather than any particular media outlet. He has never listened to Tucker Carlson’s show before his own appearance and has not followed Nick Fuentes’s “America First” podcast, even though he sympathizes with its supporters.
When asked about Fuentes, Nalin shared that many in his generation feel angry and voiceless, looking to charismatic figures to represent their grievances.
“Instead of getting angry at people for who they choose to be their voice, [we] should instead look to, Why are people angry in the first place? Why do they feel voiceless? What are these problems and how can we fix them?”
He expresses gratitude toward his parents for cultivating a balanced education, while acknowledging the pain of seeing his mother battle online attacks. “Being the son of a politician who is being criticized is a lot harder than when people criticize me,” he recounted. “She was involved in public service for the right reasons.”
Haley does not actively seek a political platform; he says it was never his intention to ride the publicity wave. Instead, he hopes to steer the Republican Party toward the principles his cohort champions.
“I feel the older generation has written off all of the concerns of younger people. My hope is that [the party] will help my generation be able to have the same opportunities that the prior generations had,” he said.
“I want them to adopt a Christian ethic, American nationalism, and genuine economic realism—fixing the economy in a way that prioritizes ordinary workers rather than elites.”
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
