Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) mocked fellow GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy during the second Republican debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, telling Ramaswamy, “Every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say.”
Nikki Haley goes after Vivek: “Every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber." pic.twitter.com/2QRSJmfmfa
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) September 28, 2023
Haley’s comments came after Ramaswamy answered a question regarding the Chinese-based social media app TikTok, Breitbart News reported.
Ramaswamy defended his use of TikTok, arguing that Republicans “need to win elections and part of how we win elections is reaching the next generation of young Americans where they are.”
“We’re only going to ever get to declaring independence from China, which I favor, if we actually win. So while the Democrats are running rampant, reaching the next generation three to one, there’s exactly one person in the Republican Party which talks a big game about reaching young people, and that’s me,” Ramaswamy added.
Ramaswamy continued by saying that his advisers in his administration if he is elected president, would include “the best people, the best and brightest in this country, whatever age they are.” He added that choosing the right people has always led his companies to be successful.
“I want people who disagree with me. That’s what makes America great because we’re not a perfect nation. We’re founded on the pursuit of perfection. And that is what makes America great,” Ramaswamy declared.
Haley later responded to Ramaswamy’s stance on TikTok, calling it “infuriating,” before adding that every time the billionaire mogul opens his mouth, she feels “a little bit dumber.”
“This is infuriating because TikTok is one of the most dangerous social media apps that we could have, and I honestly every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say,” Haley told Ramaswamy.
Haley then lashed out at TikTok for the companies’ harvesting of American user data. She said that the data of over 150 million individuals currently on TikTok is fragile and that the Chinese Community Party (CCP) has access to one’s contacts, financial information, emails and text messages.
“They can get all of these things. China knows exactly what they’re doing,” Haley said, claiming that Ramaswamy was “in business with the Chinese that gave Hunter Biden $5 million.”
“We can’t trust you,” Haley told Ramaswamy.
