Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley blasted fellow candidate Vivek Ramaswamy during the first primary debate on Wednesday over the tech entrepreneur’s comments about cutting off aid to Israel.
Last week, in an interview with Rumble, Ramaswamy said the U.S. should drastically reduce its aid to Israel and that Israel’s neighboring Arab states — presumably Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon — should get the same amount of U.S. aid that Israel receives.
Haley tore into Ramaswamy for the comments during the debate, which was hosted by Fox News in Milwaukee.
“He wants to hand Ukraine to Russia, he wants to let China eat Taiwan, he wants to go and stop funding Israel,” the former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. said, according to The Times of Israel. “You don’t do that to friends. What you do instead is you have the backs of your friends.”
“You want to go and defund Israel,” Haley said. “You have no foreign policy experience and it shows.”
Ramaswamy shot back, saying, “Our relationship with Israel would never be stronger than by the end of my first term, but it’s not a client relationship, it’s a friendship and you know what friends do? Friends help each other stand on their own two feet.”
“I will lead Abraham Accords 2.0, I will partner with Israel to make sure Iran never is nuclear armed,” he said, according to the Times. “You know what I love about them? I love their border policies, I love they're tough on crime policies, I love that they have a national identity and an Iron Dome to protect their homeland, so yes I want to learn from the friends that we’re supporting.”
“No, you want to cut the aid off,” Haley insisted. “Let me tell you, it’s not that Israel needs America, it’s that America needs Israel. They’re on the frontline of defense to Iran.”
Eight GOP presidential candidates took the stage in Milwaukee for a debate that was eclipsed by former President Donald Trump, who chose not to participate. The former president instead did an interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson that was posted online just before the debate began.
Trump cited his substantial double-digit lead as the reason for not attending, but his absence denied his rivals the opportunity to challenge him live on stage.
Recent gains in the polls have led Ramaswamy, a 38-year-old political newcomer, to be positioned next to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, according to the Times.
Also in attendance were former Vice President Mike Pence, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson.
Nicole Wells ✉
Nicole Wells, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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