Vivek Ramaswamy Slammed Other Republican Contenders in Fourth Debate: "Licking Donald Trump's Boots"

The fourth GOP debate was characterized by multiple contentious remarks and deflective arguments. Indian-American Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy stirred controversy by delivering a series of pointed critiques directed at his fellow competitors on the debate stage. As reported by Al Jazeera, Ramaswamy openly accused Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, and Chris Christie of bowing to Donald Trump for financial gain and endorsements, alleging they had been 'licking Donald Trump's boots.' Meanwhile, despite leading in the opinion polls, Trump has declined to participate in the Republican primary debates.

Renowned for his sharp remarks during debates, Ramaswamy continued to deliver personal attacks on the debate stage. As detailed by the New York Times, following his criticism of opponents for their shifts in loyalty towards Trump, Ramaswamy redirected his focus, labeling 'the deep state' as the true enemy of the American populace. Additionally, he spoke on Trump's assertion about the alleged theft of the 2020 election, a claim that led to the events of the storming of Capitol Hill in 2021.

Moving further, Ramaswamy accused President Joe Biden of targeting Trump as a means to neutralize his political challenge in the upcoming 2024 elections. "That's not how we do things in America. We are not a country where the party in power should be able to use police force to indict its political opponents. And I stand not on the politics but on principle," he said. During the debate, Ramaswamy also started a direct attack on Haley, accusing her of being a 'fascist,' drawing attention to her proposal advocating for social media users to be mandated to use their verified real names.

According to Fox News, Ramaswamy intensified his attack by questioning Haley's knowledge and intelligence, pointing out her apparent inability to identify a specific Ukrainian province in which she might consider deploying troops if she were to assume the presidency during the ongoing conflict with Russia. As the debate progressed, Ramaswamy's remarks prompted a response from fellow candidate Christie, who aimed disapproval at Ramaswamy's remarks.

Amidst the heated debate, Christie criticized Ramaswamy, labeling him as 'the most obnoxious blowhard in America.' This criticism arose from Ramaswamy's earlier comments targeting Haley. Christie stepped up to defend Haley's intelligence and accomplishments, asserting that she was a highly capable and smart woman deserving of respect. Meanwhile, the Ohio businessman faces a tough battle against the remaining Republican contenders in his way of securing the nomination to challenge President Biden for the presidency. Nonetheless, even if he manages to outshine his rivals in the debate arena, Ramaswamy still lags significantly behind Trump in the primary race.

Ramaswamy entered the debate with clever counters aimed at his opponents. However, the discussions among the Republican candidates took a turn away from addressing pivotal national concerns. Instead, they engaged in heated exchanges and confrontations, creating a scenario that drew focus away from the notable absence of Trump. He opted out of the debate to channel his efforts into fundraising activities in Florida. He even skipped the earlier three debates.