Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy took a shot at fellow Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley that set social media ablaze during Wednesday night’s primary debate.
During a discussion on Ukraine and what America’s role should be in the country’s conflict with Russia, Ramaswamy challenged Haley, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, to name three provinces in eastern Ukraine.
She initially appeared as though she could not name one.
“Foreign policy experience is not the same as foreign policy wisdom,” Ramaswamy said.
“One thing that Joe Biden and Nikki Haley have in common is that neither of them could even state for you three provinces in eastern Ukraine that they want to send our troops to actually fight for.”
The camera lingered on an expressionless Haley for several moments after Ramaswamy’s comments.
“Look at that. This is what I want people to understand,” Ramaswamy continued. “I mean, she has no idea what the hell the names of those provinces are but she wants to send our sons and daughters and our troops and our military equipment to go fight it.”
“Look at the blank expression. She doesn’t know the names of the provinces that she wants to actually fight for.”
I made a bet that @NikkiHaley couldn’t even name just three regions of eastern Ukraine that she wants to send America’s sons & daughters to die fighting for. Turns out, I was right. pic.twitter.com/HvZRxsEpp0
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) December 7, 2023
Haley eventually responded to Ramaswamy’s challenge by listing off Donetsk, Luhansk and Crimea. Crimea is not a part of Ukraine, having been annexed by Russia in 2014.
The attack led fellow presidential candidate Chris Christie to come out in defense of Haley, claiming Ramaswamy’s question was an attempt to call Haley’s intelligence into question.
#RepublicanDebate
Chris Christie defending the honor of Nikki Haley, attacking Vivek Ramaswamy.Vivek Ramaswamy on Ukraine but first telling Chris Christie,
“Chris, your version of policy experience was closing a bridge from NJ to NY…So do everybody a favor, just walk… pic.twitter.com/usYZxQJomI
— Heather Champion (@winningatmylife) December 7, 2023
On X, Ramaswamy’s shot at Haley seemed to land as he was likely hoping it would.
“Wow [Nikki Haley] knows she got hurt there. She looks like she’s about ready to cry,” one user wrote.
Wow @NikkiHaley knows she got hurt there. She looks like she’s about ready to cry
— Stevo1962 (@stevo1962) December 7, 2023
“VIVEK JUST ASKED NIKKI HALEY TO NAME 3 PROVINCES IN EASTERN UKRAINE AND SHE WENT BLANK,” Jack Posobiec of Human Events posted.
HOLY SHLIT VIVEK JUST ASKED NIKKI HALEY TO NAME 3 PROVINCES IN EASTERN UKRAINE AND SHE WENT BLANK pic.twitter.com/vcmhoi3yIw
— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) December 7, 2023
Another user said Ramaswamy had “ended [Haley’s] political career forever.”
The exact moment Vivek ended Nimrata’s political career forever.
He challenged her to name three provinces in Eastern Ukraine and she couldn’t.
Game over. pic.twitter.com/RnCgiV1I8G
— Brick Suit (@Brick_Suit) December 7, 2023
