During the fourth GOP debate, a heated exchange took place between former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy. The debate, which highlighted the contentious issue of American aid to Ukraine and the differing foreign policy visions of the two candidates, saw Christie criticizing Ramaswamy's plan that would allow Russia to keep illegally annexed parts of eastern Ukraine. Ramaswamy, in turn, accused Christie of constantly changing his positions.
The argument began when Ramaswamy criticized former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley's foreign policy views. Christie defended Haley's intelligence and called Ramaswamy the 'most obnoxious blowhard' in America. The exchange escalated with Ramaswamy bringing up the 'Bridgegate' scandal and accusing Christie and Haley of wanting to send troops to Ukraine without knowing the provinces they want to protect.
Ramaswamy also made a controversial comment about Haley, calling her a 'fascist neocon' with lipstick and compared her to Dick Cheney. This personal attack was not supported by evidence and was seen as a deviation from the main topics of the debate.
Apart from the heated exchanges, the debate also touched on topics such as transgender rights, immigration, and the economy. The candidates shared their inspirations from former presidents, with Christie choosing Ronald Reagan, Haley choosing George Washington, DeSantis choosing Calvin Coolidge, and Ramaswamy choosing Thomas Jefferson.