Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley has sharply criticized entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, referring to him as “scum” during the third Republican presidential debate in Miami. The heated exchange occurred after Ramaswamy mentioned Haley’s daughter.
Ramaswamy, during the debate, pointed out that Haley had previously mocked him for joining TikTok, despite her own daughter being a long-time user of the app. He retorted, “In the last debate, she 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.”
Haley responded fiercely to this comment, stating, “Leave my daughter out of your voice. You’re just scum.” This remark led to boos from the audience at the debate.
Ramaswamy, undeterred by the audience’s reaction, continued, “You have her supporters propping her up, that’s fine.”
The topic of TikTok, a video-sharing app owned by Beijing-based parent company ByteDance, became a significant point of discussion during the debate. The app has been under scrutiny, with many calling for its ban in the U.S. due to concerns over foreign policy.
Ramaswamy defended the app, stating, “The next generation of Americans are using it.”
The debate stage in Miami was shared by Haley and Ramaswamy, along with three other Republican White House contenders: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott. Notably absent from the event was the GOP front-runner, former President Trump.
