California: In a contentious second GOP presidential debate held in California, seven candidates competing for the Republican nomination for the 2024 presidential race engaged in passionate and tense discussions. The debate witnessed multiple clashes and confrontations among the contenders, but one of the fieriest exchanges occurred between former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, centring on the topic of TikTok and its relationship with China.
Ramaswamy, who recently joined the popular social media platform TikTok, defended his decision, emphasizing that it allowed him to connect with “the next generation of young Americans where they are.”
However, Haley was highly critical of his stance. She vehemently criticized Ramaswamy for supporting TikTok, which she argued posed significant dangers and threats to the national security of the United States. Haley further accused him of aiding China’s pharmaceutical industry and lacking a deep understanding of policy matters.
Her words were emphatic: “This is infuriating because TikTok is one of the most dangerous social media apps that we could have, and what you’ve got, I honestly, every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say.” Haley expressed grave concerns about China’s exploitation of TikTok to harvest sensitive data from Americans, including their contacts, financial information, emails, and text messages. She contended that China was well aware of its actions and that Ramaswamy’s position made the nation more vulnerable.
Ramaswamy responded by advocating for a declaration of independence from China and emphasizing his stance that children under 16 should not use addictive social media platforms. He also underscored the Republican Party’s need to secure electoral victories and asserted that he was the sole candidate reaching out to young voters.