During the Aug. 23 GOP presidential primary, a discussion on U.S. support for Ukraine became a discussion about not just the Eastern European country, which was invaded by Russia, but about foreign policy overall.
Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy was the only candidate on the Fox News debate stage at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee to say he would not support further U.S. assistance to Ukraine, as the Biden administration has requested an additional $24 billion in U.S. aid to the war-torn nation—including $13 billion in more military assistance.
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) called on European countries to contribute more to Ukraine before Washington provided further assistance to that country.
The debate, however, took a drastic turn when former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said that the Ukraine conflict is not just about Russia, but also about China.
Ms. Haley referenced Russian President Vladimir Putin going to Beijing and being with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in what was an act of solidarity at the 2022 Olympics, just a month before Russia invaded Ukraine.
Ms. Haley reiterated one of her talking points on the campaign trail that “a win for Russia is a win for China.”
“Ukraine is the first line of defense for us,” she added. She noted that Mr. Putin does not want to stop at Ukraine and next go for Poland, a NATO member, and the Baltics.
Ms. Haley “told you the truth—we can either fight that war ourselves, or we can help them fight the war,” former South Carolina Chairman Katon Dawson told The Epoch Times in the spin room following the two-hour debate, which was moderated by anchors Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum.
And Ms. Haley did not hold back in blasting Mr. Ramaswamy over his foreign policy ideas and lack of foreign policy experience.
“He wants to hand Ukraine to Russia. He wants to let China eat Taiwan. He wants to go and stop funding Israel,” she said. “You don’t do that to friends. What you do instead is have the backs of your friends. Ukraine is the frontline of defense.”
“Vivek Ramaswamy is completely wrong to call for ending America’s special bond with Israel,” she said in a statement.
“Support for Israel is both the morally right and strategically smart thing to do. Both countries are stronger and safer because of our iron-clad friendship. As president, I will never abandon Israel.
“This is part of a concerning pattern with Vivek. Between abandoning Israel, abolishing the FBI, and giving Taiwan to China, his foreign policy proposals have a common theme: they make America less safe.”
In the debate, Ms. Haley reiterated not only her point about Mr. Ramaswamy’s stance on Israel—which calls for ceasing further U.S. assistance to the Mideast country after the 10-year $38.3 billion U.S. memorandum of understanding with Israel expires in 2028—but also that Mr. Ramaswamy would make the United States “less safe.”“Under your watch you would make America less safe,” Ms. Haley told Mr. Ramaswamy. “You have no foreign policy experience and it shows.”
Mr. Ramaswamy has said that Israel should be in a position to be self-reliant that would include an “Abraham Accords 2.0,” a reference to the accords that were struck under President Donald Trump as the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco normalized ties with Israel.
He also said he would have a “friendship,” not “client relationship,” with them that includes going after Iran, though he did not specify how.
Ms. Haley fired back, blasting him for wanting to cease U.S. assistance to Israel, which is currently $3.8 billion annually, and said, “It’s not that Israel needs America. America needs Israel. They’re the frontline of defense to Iran.”
Matt Brodsky, senior fellow at the Gold Institute for International Strategy, told The Epoch Times that Mr. Ramaswamy’s foreign policy views mirrored “a 1930s version of Republican isolationism while also trying to channel Reaganism but the two positions are incompatible.”
“It’s not surprising that Haley made the most of her opportunity on foreign policy because it’s the issue set that animates her the most,” he said.
“Overall, Vivek’s youth and inexperience on foreign policy showed. It left me with the impression that he wouldn’t support allies or confront adversaries,” continued Mr. Brodsky.
“That’s not a strong position, nor is having no ability to see the difference between good and bad actors. It remains to be seen whether the Republican electorate has moved toward isolationism to the degree Vivek has.”
“Regarding Israel, it would have been nice if a candidate said, ‘yes we’ll continue to support them because it is absolutely in America’s interest to do so. We greatly benefit from their technology and defense systems and the money we provide them has to be spent in the U.S. so every dollar constitutes an excellent investment in America’s security,'” he said.
Gov. Ron DeSantis called for securing the southern border first, prompting Ms. Haley saying that America can both protect the U.S.-Mexico border and Ukraine.
He said he would send U.S. troops to the border, not Ukraine—despite none of the eight candidates on stage being for sending U.S. military troops to Ukraine.
Gov. Doug Burgum (R-N.D.) remarked that “Russia has become China’s gas station,” importing 10 million oil barrels daily.
Ms. Haley’s responses to Mr.Ramaswamy on the foreign policy matters “is indicative of her foreign policy experience,” Haley spokesperson Olivia Perez-Cubas told The Epoch Times.
“It was informed by her time as UN ambassador.”
“She was the only one on that stage who has both executive experience, as governor, and she has foreign policy experience,” she added, noting that Gov. DeSantis does not have the same foreign policy experience she has.
Mr. Ramaswamy’s team also took a victory lap but, of course, for their own candidate.
“Vivek Ramaswamy, 1. Establishment politicians, 0,”Ramaswamy campaign senior adviser Chris Grant, told The Epoch Times in the spin room following the debate.
“I think the reason career politicians like Nikki Haley and Mike Pence get so upset is because of jealousy,” he added.
