In a debate in Miami, Republican contenders square off over issues such as Trump’s shifting position, proposals for a ban on TikTok, and disagreements about funding for Ukraine.
Republican presidential candidates squared off in a heated discussion in Miami on Wednesday night, two months ahead of the primaries.
The third debate takes place against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war, growing antisemitism in the United States, and Trump’s calculated choice to host a rival event close by rather than attend the debate. chant from the third GOP debate, “Dump Trump”
‘Dump Trump’; ‘Ban Tiktok’ and ‘Finish Hamas’
Ron DeSantis of Florida and Nikki Haley, a former governor of South Carolina, urged Republican voters to reconsider their decision to support Trump for a third consecutive presidential nomination at a crucial juncture. A common slogan among the majority of the contenders was “dump Trump.”
“Donald Trump is a lot different guy than he was in 2016,” DeSantis said sharply, bringing up unresolved concerns such as the unmet pledge to have Mexico build a border wall. Haley agreed, saying, “He was the right president for that time,” but she also underlined the importance of moving on.
“Ban Tiktok due to the rise in antisemitism”
During the heated debate, all of the contenders agreed to support banning the Chinese social media app TikTok, citing concerns about privacy and national security in addition to the platform’s alleged involvement in spreading antisemitism.
In his criticism of the software, former governor of New Jersey Chris Christie said, “TikTok is not just spyware but also a deliberate tool corrupting American youth.”
Together, the candidates denounced the threat of antisemitism, reaffirming their backing for Israel and the counteroffensive against Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu was even advised by DeSantis to “finish the job with these butchers.” On the issue of extending financial assistance to Ukraine, there was, however, a lack of agreement.
Haley and Ramaswamy’s verbal sparring
During the debate, there were personal assaults that differed from earlier claims that the other candidates were “super PAC puppets.” Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy used more restrained words when he said that “good people [are] tainted by a broken system.”
It was clear that Nikki Haley was becoming more and more well-known during the GOP primary when Ramaswamy attacked her TikTok stance in spite of her daughters’ use of the app, to which she responded, “You’re just scum.” When Ramaswamy attacked Haley’s foreign policy positions and called her a “Dick Cheney in three-inch heels,” the evening became more heated.