The war of words between Ramaswamy and Haley is the latest example of the GOP’s widening split over America’s longtime muscular international role
Vivek Ramaswamy has expressed the opinion that Nikki Haley, his rival for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, should be deemed unfit for the role of President.
This statement from the millionaire biotech entrepreneur, who is running for office for the first time, comes in response to comments made by Nikki Haley. She had earlier likened Ramaswamy’s remarks on the Israel-Hamas conflict to the views of the far-left “Squad” in Congress.
This ongoing verbal feud between the two candidates has been a prominent feature of their campaign trail interactions and has also played out during the initial two Republican presidential nomination debates.
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Nikki Haley has witnessed a gradual increase in her polling numbers, both in early state surveys and on a national level in recent months. In the most recent US Newzs national poll released earlier this week, she managed to double her support. In the race for the Republican nomination, where former President Donald Trump maintains a commanding lead, candidates like Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis are vying for the second-place position.
Ramaswamy, speaking with reporters prior to his speech at the New Hampshire GOP’s First-in-the-Nation Leadership Summit, took a swipe at Haley by suggesting that she has “personal conflicts of interest.” This remark appears to be a reference to her husband’s business connections to the defense industry.
Vivek Ramaswamy criticized Nikki Haley, pointing out that she has accumulated substantial wealth, approximately $8 million, from her foreign policy experience. He expressed his concern about the notion of politicians profiting from their connections and foreign policy involvement, drawing parallels to the Biden family and their alleged monetization of connections and foreign policy decisions. He emphasized the need to avoid replacing them with a Republican equivalent.
Ramaswamy also voiced his apprehension about having a President who might lead the country into a potential World War III and expressed his reservations about the idea.
The Haley campaign did not provide a response to Ramaswamy’s recent criticism.
Nikki Haley responded to Vivek Ramaswamy’s criticisms by stating that he “sounds like the Squad.” She asserted that there is no room for either the Squad or Ramaswamy in discussions related to international conflicts.
Haley’s comments align her with 2024 Republican presidential rivals, including former Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, who have also criticized Ramaswamy for questioning the motives of some Republicans advocating for a robust Israeli response in the aftermath of the recent sneak attack. by Hamas on Israel, one of the deadliest assaults on the Jewish state in decades.
This attack has had a significant impact on the 2024 presidential race and has highlighted the growing division within the GOP between the “America First” anti-interventionist faction of the party and the traditional conservative wing that strongly supports the United States’ historical role in global affairs.