Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley mocked Vivek Ramaswamy’s defense of starting a TikTok account after she was encouraged to do so by controversial YouTuber Jake Paul – as the entrepreneur became a punching bag for several Republican candidates.
Asked by moderator Stuart Varney at Wednesday’s Republican debate whether it was presidential to be so “easily persuaded by an influencer,” Ramaswamy argued that Republicans need to win the next election, and they will do that by they “reach the next generation of young Americans.” they are.’
“This is annoying because TikTok is one of the most dangerous social media apps we could have, and what have you…” Haley interjected. “Honestly, every time I hear you, I feel a little more stupid than you say,” she said.
That exchange came after South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott went from answering a question about birthright citizenship to grilling the 38-year-old political newcomer over his business dealings in China — and her with Hunter Associating Biden.
Former Vice President Mike Pence also had some good words for the tech entrepreneur, saying that if elected he would likely attract “many of the people on this stage” to serve in a future Ramaswamy administration.
Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley (left) mocked Vivek Ramaswamy’s (right) defense of starting a TikTok account after she was encouraged to do so by controversial YouTuber Jake Paul – as the entrepreneur became a punching bag for several Republican candidates.
Vivek Ramaswamy (left) responds after South Carolina Senator Tim Scott (right) hounded him on the debate stage in Simi Valley for doing business in China, including with the same family Hunter Biden did business with
“Let me level with all of you, I am the new guy here and so I know I have to earn your trust,” Ramaswamy told the crowd. ‘What do you see? You see a young man who is a bit in a hurry, perhaps a bit ambitious, a bit of a know-it-all, as it sometimes seems.’
“I’m here to tell you that I don’t know everything,” Ramaswamy assured potential GOP voters.
Haley made it clear she agreed.
“We can’t trust you, we can’t trust you,” she said, pointing to Ramaswamy’s previous dealings with the Chinese. “It smells bad, I don’t appreciate it,” she said later Wednesday night during a post-debate interview with Fox’s Sean Hannity.
It was Scott who originally mentioned the connection between Ramaswamy and China, pointing out that the entrepreneur had called his six rivals on stage tonight “good people” after what he said at the first GOP debate in Milwaukee last month , they were “bought and paid for”.
“I thought about it for a while and said, ‘You know, I can’t imagine how you can say that knowing that you’ve only done business with the Chinese Communist Party and the same people who made Hunter Biden millions.’ of dollars, partners were also of you,” Scott said on the debate stage in Simi Valley, California.
Ramaswamy argued, “These are good people tainted by a broken system,” as several candidates, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, spoke about him.
DeSantis agreed, arguing that Ramaswamy’s business in China was a well-trodden issue, adding: “Let’s focus on holding Joe Biden accountable.”
Ramaswamy seemed to appreciate the support but the blow wasn’t over yet.
“I agree with Ron DeSantis on China,” Ramaswamy said. “When every other CEO was expanding into the Chinese market, do you know what I did with my first company? “We have opened a subsidiary in China.”
“First, I want to say that I am glad that Vivek withdrew from his dealings with China in 2018,” said former Vice President Mike Pence with a mischievous smile. “That must have been around the time he decided to vote in the presidential election.”
“But you know what I did was unlike any other company, we bloody did it,” Ramaswamy said.
Haley then added, “Just before you ran for president!”
The contestants continued to insult each other as Ramaswamy said it was before and that when he started his newer company he “committed never to do business in China”.
“I was interrupted by a lot of people,” Ramaswamy complained.
He tried to silence Scott by saying, “From one Ronald Reagan admirer to another.”
The trio of hosts eventually turned to Pence and asked him a question about Dreamers, but the former vice president was also ready for Ramaswamy.
“First, I want to say that I am glad that Vivek retired from his business in China in 2018,” Pence said with a mischievous smile. “That must have been around the time he decided to vote in the presidential election.”