Who Is Nikki Haley’s Husband? Her Married Life, Children
- Nikki Haley is a former governor and UN ambassador running for the presidency in 2024.
- Haley has been married to her husband Michael for 26 years and has two children together.
Who is Nikki Haley’s husband Michael Haley?
Nikki Haley’s husband Michael Haley is an officer in the South Carolina Army National Guard. In January 2012, he was deployed to Helmand Province in Afghanistan as a captain with an Agribusiness Development Team for a year-long tour of duty.
The team’s mission was to assist Afghan farmers in improving their farming techniques and transitioning to growing cash crops instead of opium poppies.
In 2016, Haley shared how challenging it was to be away from his family during his deployment, and he kept in touch with his wife, Nikki, daily through email. Along with sharing dramatic frontline stories, he highlighted the difficulties of serving on active duty while being a spouse and a parent.
He said:
“There’s a lot lost in translation.”
He added:
“You don’t get the emotion, the humor you get in one-on-one communication on the telephone or physically being there.”
From 2011 to 2017, Michael also served as the First Gentleman of South Carolina after his wife became the state’s first female governor.
Moreover, he also has a background in politics. He has held a position on the board of the Palmetto Family Council, a conservative advocacy organization.
How did Nikki Haley and Michael Haley meet? Their marriage
Nikki Haley and Michael met when they were 17 and 19 years old respectively. The Herald reported that they met during her first weekend at Clemson.
According to a 2021 Politico profile, Nikki’s college friends stated that initially, Nikki’s parents didn’t like her boyfriend. However, Nikki herself made the decision to have him go by his middle name, Michael, rather than his first name, Bill.
The couple exchanged wedding vows on September 6, 1996. The wedding took place in Hilton Head, South Carolina, and involved two ceremonies, one in the Sikh tradition and the other in the Methodist tradition.
She told the NY Times in 2010:
“I was born and raised with the Sikh faith, my husband and I were married in the Methodist Church, our children have been baptized in the Methodist Church, and currently we attend both.”
Haley has always said that Michael is her biggest advocate and supporter.
The couple celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary in September 2022. As a tribute for her husband, she wrote on Twitter:
“Thankful for 26 years of good times, challenging times, fun times, and sweet times with my best friend,” Nikki wrote on Twitter. “Now going into a new season of growth for our kids, a wedding, and empty nesting. Here’s to the next #26 I love you Michael.”
How many children does the couple have?
Nikki and Michael have two children together. Their eldest, Rena, was born in June 1998. Rena graduated from Clemson University in 2021 with a major in nursing and a minor in psychology and is currently employed as a pediatric nurse in South Carolina, as per her LinkedIn profile.
She and her long-time boyfriend, Joshua Jackson, whom she met while attending Clemson, got engaged in July.
Their younger child, Nalin, was born in September 2001 and is presently a third-year student at Villanova University.
In 2021, her son moved into his dorm for his sophomore year at Villanova and she posted on Twitter:
“Prayers that this year is better than the last Covid year. His class missed out on their high school senior year and freshman college year in so many ways. So proud of him but miss him already. Have a great year Nalin. We love you.”
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