Five candidates kicked off the third Republican US presidential debate in Miami on Wednesday, November 8. Amid discussions on abortion, foreign policy and the economy, what stood out was a spat between Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy.

Haley snapped at Ramaswamy by calling him "scum" on national television after the businessman spoke about her daughter using the Chinese social media app TikTok.

Haley to Ramaswamy: You’re just scum pic.twitter.com/meLxcAVg4a

— Acyn (@Acyn) November 9, 2023

"Well, I want to laugh at why Nikki Haley didn't answer your question which is about looking your families in the eye. 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," Ramaswamy said. "So you might want to take care of your family first."

Cutting him mid-way, an angry Haley shot back, "Leave my daughter out of your voice."

While Ramaswamy went on to defend his use of the TikTok app and its role in youth outreach, Haley sparred, "You're just scum."

Other candidates present in the debate included Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott.

As they face an increasingly urgent task to emerge as a clear alternative to former President Donald Trump, the five Republican presidential candidates also touched upon the Israel-Hamas war and Trump himself. The former president (and overwhelming front-runner in the race) skipped the event, as he had the first two, citing his polling advantage.

While candidates expressed strong support for Israel, they did not address the protection of Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

During the debate, the GOP's foreign policy differences were evident, particularly regarding Ukraine, Taiwan and Venezuela's oil market. Haley, Tim Scott, and Chris Christie espoused traditional GOP stances, supporting military aid to Ukraine, increased military investment, and connecting global conflicts. In contrast, Vivek Ramaswamy sought to distinguish himself by criticising bipartisan foreign policy, opposing aid to Ukraine, and making controversial comments about Ukraine's president.

Ron DeSantis took a middle ground, discussing border security and the potential deportation of Middle Eastern immigrants when asked about Ukraine and China. While all candidates conveyed a tough stance, the debate highlighted a subtle party divide on the Ukraine conflict, leaving uncertainty about their potential actions if elected to the presidency.

With inputs from Associated Press

First Published:Nov 9, 2023 12:27 PM IST