The South Carolina primary was held on Thursday in the state capital of Columbia, South Carolina to select the opposition Republican nominee ahead of the November U.S. presidential election. As he delivered a victory speech amid cheers from supporters, former President Donald Trump said, "Joe, you're fired!" forming the shape of a gun with his thumb and forefinger and pointing it at the sky.

Trump won the contest with 59.8 percent of the vote in a landslide victory, with 95 percent of the ballots counted to Nikki Haley's 39.5 percent. It was Trump's fifth consecutive victory in the Republican race, which began with the Iowa caucuses on January 15, effectively confirm‎ing his win for the candidacy in the presidential election. "Biden is destroying America," Mr. Trump said. "Nine months is too long. If I could have the election tomorrow, I would." In South Carolina, the first contest in the heavily Republican ‘deep south,’ Trump showed his confidence in a showdown with President Biden as he reaffirmed unity among conservatives.

Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and U.N. ambassador, said that despite the loss in her political home turf, she would continue her challenge until next month's ‘Super Tuesday’ on March 5, when 16 states will hold contests simultaneously. "Does anyone think Trump and Biden can unite the country?" she said. "I'm not going to give up this fight.”