As the 2024 US presidential race gains momentum, Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is not holding back in scrutinizing his fellow conservatives. After mocking Nikki Haley ’s historical knowledge, Ramaswamy now challenges both President Joe Biden and Haley on their qualifications in terms of “real foreign policy’ experience. Ramaswamy took to X, asserting, “Turns out Nikki knows as little about the Civil War as she does about the Ukraine War. But whatever war it was, I’m sure she’s in favor of it.”
On Live News Nation, he further questioned their foreign policy acumen, specifically noting their inability to name three provinces in Eastern Ukraine they’d send US troops to fight for. “I think for those with foreign policy experience, one thing Joe Biden and Nikki Hayley did not comment on 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?” he remarked.
Turns out Nikki knows as little about the Civil War as she does about the Ukraine War. But whatever war it was, I’m sure she’s in favor of it. 💵 pic.twitter.com/zJJSDc86Bc
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) December 28, 2023
As per Livemint , the critique comes amid Biden’s authorization of the deployment of 3,000 US troops to Poland, Germany, and Romania on February 3, 2022, in response to the Ukraine crisis . Approximately 40,000 American troops have been deployed to Eastern Europe, emphasizing the geopolitical significance of the situation. Ramaswamy remarked, “Look at that, this is what I want people to understand. These people…I mean, she has no idea what the hell the names of those provinces are that you want to send our sons, daughters, and our military equipment to go and fight. So, reject this myth that they have been selling you. Somebody had a cup of coffee, sat in the UN, and made 8 million bucks after having real foreign experience. It takes an outsider to see, look at that blank expression.”
As reported by United Service Organizations , “100,000 American service members either deployed or permanently stationed in Europe in support of our NATO allies and the Ukrainian protection of their sovereignty and freedom.”
Her initial response attributed the conflict to government roles and economic freedom, which she later walked back. She asserted, “I think the cause of the Civil War was basically how the government was going to run, the freedoms and what people could and couldn’t do, It always comes down to the role of government. We need to have capitalism, we need to have economic freedom. We need to make sure that we do all things so that individuals have the liberties so that they can have freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to do or be anything they want to be without government getting in the way.”
As Ramaswamy challenges the foreign policy credentials of both Biden and Haley, it adds another layer of complexity to an already intricate presidential campaign. The ability to navigate global affairs will undoubtedly be a crucial factor in shaping public opinion and influencing voter decisions.