(DCWatchdog.com) – In one of the most contentious moments in the 2024 GOP primary debates so far, underscoring sensitivities about implicating the candidates’ families in the race, a furious Nikki Haley slammed Vivek Ramaswamy as “scum” after the Ramaswamy blasted Haley’s daughter’s use of TikTok.
In a fiery moment during Wednesday night’s third Republican presidential primary debate,
Former US Ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley called entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy “scum” during Wednesday night’s third Republican presidential primary debate.
This intense altercation occurred after Ramaswamy mentioned Haley’s adult daughter in a discussion about the Chinese social media platform TikTok.
Haley has previously criticized Ramaswamy’s extensive use of TikTok, a platform some Republican legislators claim the Chinese Communist Party uses for spying.
During the second debate on September 27, Haley admonished Ramaswamy.
“TikTok is one of the most dangerous social media apps that we could have. And… honestly, every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say,” she said.
In the latest debate, when conservative radio talk show host and moderator Hugh Hewitt questioned Ramaswamy about his stance on banning TikTok despite using it himself, Ramaswamy retorted by referencing Haley’s daughter’s use of the app.
“In the last debate, [Haley] made fun of me for actually joining TikTok while her own daughter was actually using the app for a long time. So you might want to take care of your family first,” he stated.
“Leave my daughter out of your voice,” Haley responded.
This elicited a strong reaction from the audience at Miami’s Arsht Center, including both cheers and some boos from Ramaswamy’s supporters, The New York Post reports.
“You have her supporters propping her up, that’s fine,” the latter said while trying to continue.
“You’re just scum,” Haley interjected.
Ramaswamy argued that the US needs to do more than ban TikTok, advocating for measures against US companies transferring data to China.
“Now it’s popular to talk tough on China. When she was UN Ambassador, she called them, literally her words, not mine, ‘Our great friend.’ You can’t be fair weather fans of the right policy,” he said about Haley.
Haley defended her remark, explaining it was made during crucial negotiations involving the US, China, and Russia to implement “the largest set of sanctions against North Korea in a generation.”
“You would never have been able to get that negotiation done,” she told Ramaswamy.
Haley on Vivek: “you’re just scum”
pic.twitter.com/ZQH6jGLQCW— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) November 9, 2023
