Vivek Ramaswamy calls Nikki Haley ‘more fascist than the Biden regime' during 4th GOP debate. Here's why
"That's not freedom, that’s fascism,” GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy tears into Nikki Haley at Alabama debate
During the final GOP debate held at the University of Alabama’s Moody Music Hall in Tuscaloosa, Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy launched a scathing attack on former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, labeling her as “fascist.”
Ramaswamy criticized Haley’s proposal for mandatory identification of social media users, stating, “The only person more fascist than the Biden regime now is Nikki Haley, who thinks the government should identify every one of those individuals with an ID.” He further condemned the idea as antithetical to freedom, declaring, “That is not freedom, that is fascism, and she should come nowhere near the levers of power, let alone the White House.”
This exchange was a continuation of a previous dispute, where Ramaswamy had called out Haley for criticizing his use of TikTok, despite her daughter also using the platform. Haley’s sharp retort to this was, “You’re just sc*m.”
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Nikki Haley chose not to respond
In response to Ramaswamy’s remarks during the debate, Haley chose not to engage, dismissing his comments as unworthy of her time. When co-moderator Eliana Johnson inquired if she wished to reply to Ramaswamy’s attacks, Haley simply replied, “No, it’s not worth my time to respond to him.”
The debate saw a reduced number of candidates on stage, yet the dynamics remained consistent with the previous three debates. The Republican field is still in search of a strong contender to challenge former President Donald Trump, who has maintained a significant lead and opted out of participating in the debates.
Haley has faced criticism from several rivals, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, over her stance on social media and free speech. She later clarified her position, emphasizing her support for American free speech while expressing concerns about foreign influence.
“I don’t mind anonymous American people having free speech; what I don’t like is anonymous Russians and Chinese and Iranians having free speech,” Haley stated in a CNBC interview.
She reiterated her defense of her position on social media and freedom of speech, focusing on the threat posed by foreign adversaries rather than American citizens.
Haley explained, “What I said was that social media companies need to show us their algorithms. I also said there are millions of bots on social media right now. They’re foreign. They’re Chinese. They’re Iranian.”
As the race for the 2024 presidential nomination continues, candidates like Ramaswamy and Haley are vying for the spotlight and the support of the party’s base.