Politics & Government

JT, OMG! Nikki Haley fan of Super Bowl halftime show

Justin Timberlake’s halftime performance at the Super Bowl had its critics, but Nikki Haley was not among them.

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and former S.C. governor tweeted her appreciation of Timberlake’s performance Sunday night.

“To say @jtimberlake is talented is an understatement. Halftime show was awesome! #Superbowl,” Haley tweeted.

Timberlake’s performance at the halftime of Super Bowl LII included a tribute to Prince, a native of host city Minneapolis, but avoided any political commentary. Haley did not appreciate that aspect of the Grammys a week earlier, which she said was ruined by political “trash.”

The NFL already had become a political lightning rod this year as many players knelt during the national anthem to protest police brutality. Both S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster and GOP candidate for governor Catherine Templeton used the Super Bowl to call for people to stand for the national anthem, with McMaster even issuing a proclamation calling on South Carolinians to stand.

McMaster himself followed through Sunday night.

At the same time, Templeton followed through on her pledge not to even watch the game, instead delivering pizza to first responders in Berkeley County.

This story was originally published February 5, 2018 at 11:40 AM with the headline "JT, OMG! Nikki Haley fan of Super Bowl halftime show."

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