During the inaugural GOP primary debate this Wednesday, Nikki Haley, the Republican presidential aspirant, took sharp aim at her counterpart, tech mogul Vivek Ramaswamy. This was in response to Ramaswamy’s recent assertion on Rumble suggesting a severe reduction of U.S. aid to Israel, while leveling the assistance provided to Israel’s neighboring Arab countries.
Fox News, the event host in Milwaukee, witnessed Haley, the erstwhile U.S. ambassador to the U.N., fervently criticizing Ramaswamy’s stance. Drawing from The Times of Israel, she remarked, “He appears willing to cede Ukraine to Russia, abandon Taiwan to Chinese control, and halt aid to Israel. Such actions aren’t representative of alliances. Real alliances mean steadfast support.”
Underscoring Ramaswamy’s inexperience in foreign policy, Haley added, “Your proposition to defund Israel is misguided.”
Countering this, Ramaswamy emphasized the nature of U.S.-Israel relations, stating, “Our alliance with Israel will only strengthen during my tenure. But this isn’t a mere transactional relationship; it’s built on mutual respect. True friends uplift each other.”
Ramaswamy went on to articulate his foreign policy vision, mentioning his commitment to ensuring Iran doesn’t become nuclear-powered and praising Israel’s security measures and national identity.
However, Haley was unyielding, reiterating her disagreement with cutting aid to Israel. She accentuated, “It’s not about Israel’s reliance on the U.S., but rather America’s strategic alliance with Israel, especially considering Israel’s crucial role against Iran.”
While eight Republican presidential hopefuls convened for this debate in Milwaukee, the spotlight was notably stolen by former President Donald Trump’s absence. Instead of attending, Trump, referring to his leading position in polls, chose to engage in a digital interview with ex-Fox News anchor, Tucker Carlson. This decision deprived his contenders of the chance to directly confront him.
Ramaswamy, a political greenhorn at 38, has been drawing attention in polls recently, earning him a spot alongside Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis, as per the Times.
Other noteworthy participants at the debate included ex-Vice President Mike Pence, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, former Governors Chris Christie (New Jersey), Doug Burgum (North Dakota), and Asa Hutchinson (Arkansas).
