Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley snapped at fellow 2024 challenger Vivek Ramaswamy for his prolific use of Chinese spyware app TikTok, telling him during Wednesday evening's second GOP debate that she feels "a little bit dumber" when he speaks.
"Honestly, every time I hear you, I feel a little bit dumber for what you say," Haley interjected as Ramaswamy praised TikTok's ability to connect politicians with younger voters. "This is infuriating, because TikTok is one of the most dangerous social media apps that we could have."
TikTok—and China's spy operations more broadly—have been a hot topic among the 2024 GOP challengers, with each vowing to enact an outright ban on the app's use in America. Ramaswamy, who later clarified that he would also ban the app eventually, said he views it as an important platform to connect with younger voters.
More than "150 million people are on TikTok," Haley told Ramaswamy. "That means they can get your contacts, they can get your financial information, they can get your emails, they can get your text messages, they can get all of these things. China knows what it is doing."
Shortly after the exchange, Fox News cut to a commercial break that featured a TikTok ad.