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the race for the white house. five republicans battling to become their party's presidential nominee. the candidates ready to make their case on why they are prepared to be commander in chief amid two wars on the world stage, how they plan to tackle separate inflation and how they can unite a deeply divided electorate. who is best to take on president biden and can any of them president trump who is -- former president donald trump who is far ahead in the polls ron desantis, nikki haley, vivek ramaswamy, chris christie, and south carolina senator, jim scott. the republican presidential debate. live from the center in miami,

florida. [applause] lester holt, anchor of nbc nightly news. >> and the moderator of nbc meet the press. >> i am the host of salem radio show. we are 68 days from the iowa caucus when republican primary voters will begin to determine their party's nomination for president. we will question five candidates seeking that nomination how their best prepare to be commander in chief. and how best to bring down prices impacting americans across the country. we have two hours for a serious debate on the issues that matter most republican voters, candidates have one minute and 30 seconds for answers to the

opportunity for a closing statement. follow-ups are at the discretion of all of us at the table, the moderators. invoking a candidate's name or policy does not mean i mention -- that the candidate is entitled to a response. do not speak over your fellow debaters, if you talk over each other the voters cannot hear you. we want everyone to hear every word you have to say. continued interruption may result in loss of additional questions and to our audience, please hold your applause so that candidates can be heard. with that said, let us have a good debate. our first question is one for all of you, donald trump is the first ex-president in more than 100 years to run for the white house again. he remains popular among republican primary voters as his legal challenges amount. let me begin with you on this

one, speak to republican voters are supporting donald trump, why should you and not him be the republican nominee to face joe biden a year from now? >> this country is in trouble and the elites that have put us here do not care about you. do not care your having to grapple with higher grocery prices or have higher gas prices. they do not care that your family is less secure because of the open border that has allowed drugs and terrorists to come into this country. i care, i am not going to sit by and let this country continue its downward spiral. we need leadership and we need it now, i will take the hit and i will take the arrows and the slings. it is not about me. it is about you. i will fight for you. i will make sure to lead this country's revival and i will win for you and your family. actions speak louder than words. we do not have time for excuses and it is not something we are going to be able to have only distractions. i will get the job done. if you look at where we are, it

is different than 2016. donald trump is a different guy than he was in 2016. he owes it to you to be on this stage and explain why he should get another chance. he should explain why he did not have them! for the border wall. he should explain why he racked up so much debt and did not drain the swamp and he said republicans got tired of winning . we saw last night i am sick of republicans losing! in florida i showed how it is done. one year ago here, we won a historic victory including a massive landslide in miami, that is how we have to do it! i promise you as a nominee, next november i will get the job done and as president i will deliver. [applause] >> let me turn to the ambassador, why do you think you are better than the former president? >> we are $41 trillion in debt,

americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck, 50% of american families cannot afford diapers, one in six american families cannot pay their utility bills. you have parents worried about what is being said or taught in the classroom. antisemitism all over our college campuses and students feel unsafe. you have an open border where terrorists can come through and we have wars happening all over. there are dangers around us. everybody wants to talk about president trump, i can talk about him. i can tell you i think he was the right president at the right time. i do not think he is the right president now. i think he put us $8 trillion in debt and our kids are never going to forgive us for that. i think the fact that he used to be right on ukraine and foreign issues now he is getting weak in the knees and trying to be friendly again. we have got to go back to the fact we cannot live in the past and we cannot live in other headlines, we have to focus on what is going to make america strong and proud.

that is what i am focused on doing, make sure that we paid our debt, we need an account in the white house. make sure we have transparency in the classroom and as a mother i know what that means! make sure we secure our borders so that our families are safe! let us get climbed down because our families want to know that they can be safe no matter where they go! as of the wife of a combat veteran i will tell you a military needs to know that we have our back and we need to make sure that america -- >> thank you. [applause] >> let me talk to the audience, please do not go down this road. these are important issues and the voters want and need to hear them. let me turn to you. please make your case why would you be the nominee and not the former president? >> there something deeper going on and i am upset about what happened last night. we have become a party of

loser, there is a cancer in the republican establishment. since mcdaniels took over as the chairman of the gop, we have lost, no red wave that ever came, we got trounced in 2023. i think we have to have accountability in our party. if you want to come on stage and look at the gop voters in the eye and tell them you resign i will turn over my time to you. mentally, people are cheering for losing and the republican party. was moderating this debate? there should be tucker carlson, and elon musk! asking questions that the gop primary voters actually care about and bring in more people into our party! [applause] the democrats, the democrats would actually hire greg got failed, to go to host a democratic debate? this is actually about you in the media and the corrupt media

establishment. asking the proper rush occlusion hopes you pushed on this network for years. was that real or hillary clinton made up misinformation? answer the question? [applause] >> lead accountability, this immediate rigs the wasting election, the 2020 election with the hunter biden laptop story. we will break this election. >> your time is up. [applause] >> audience, let us not do this? let the candidate speak. christie, why you and not donald trump? >> you said it at the beginning of the debate. we are dealing with extraordinarily important issues facing this country right now. we have our greatest ally in the middle east under fire from a terrorist group that has committed to wiping them and

every jewish person in this world off of the map. we have ukraine, with vladimir putin, a communist dictator wants to put the old family back together. he will move to the baltics and poland after that. inflation is talking every american family that wants to rise up and get their children a better life. tonight, we need to decide which president will be the one that tackles the big issues. that will make this country look once again not in word, but look outward at the world. say america is the country, the indispensable nation that makes this a safer world and in a safer world american innovation and the american hard work has always been the thing that has driven our country to greater things. i will be president to do those

big things. we are not small at i will say this about donald trump, anybody who is going to be spending the next year and a half of their life axing on keeping themselves out of jail cannot lead this party or this country. i will say that plainly. [applause] >> senator scott, you have said that former president donald trump cannot win? >> i will say without any question that the truth of my life destroys the lives of the radical left. we need a president and a candidate will actually help our basic solidify and attract independent voters into our party. democratic parties are winning back hispanic voters because we are working on foundation based on faith. our nation is facing some deep challenges, it is the loss of faith in this nation that is a part of the erosion we are seeing every single day. it is restoring faith and our

christian values that would help this nation once again come the city on the hill. ronald reagan talks about the city on the hill, this is coming from matthew five. when president lincoln talked about a house divided, that was marked, our founding documents speak to the importance of the faith foundation. you do not have to be a christian for america to work for you. but america does not work without a faith filled judeo-christian foundation. i would be the president to restore faith in god, in each other, and the faith in our future without that focus, none of the issues, the policies, matter. we have to give back to being a nation -- get back to being a nation that is the city on the hill. >> thank you. we turn to the challenges facing -- [applause]

the next commander-in-chief. you are new questions from me and the republican jewish coalition. as we continue forward, the israel hamas war is barely a month old, tonight is really troops are fighting inside of gaza city with over 200 hostages who remain captive there. civilian casualties mounting inside of gaza. as president of the united states, what would you be urging israeli prime minister bennett gemini on yahoo! to do at this moment -- minister benjamin netanyahu to do at this moment? >> finished the job with a portrait hamas! they are terrorists! [applause] they would wipe every jew off of the globe if they could. we cannot live without threat right by his country. hamas should release every hostage. i am tired of hearing every

media group blame israel. i can tell you, as governor i actually did something about it, i didn't's neglect has been atrocious, we had floridians that were out there and he left them stranded! they could not get flights out. i scrambled resources in florida and i sent planes over to israel and i brought back over 700 people to safety. there could have been more hostages had we not acted! i met the first play mode when they came to florida -- plane load and a man said his daughter says i want to get back to florida. there is a difference between words and deeds and we acted and we saved the lives. [applause] >> what would you be urging prime minister netanyahu to do? would you consider a humanitarian pod? >> i said finish them.

the reason is i worked on this every day when i was at the united nations. [applause] we have to remember that they had to eliminate hamas, support israel with whatever they needed and we bring a hostages home. we need to be very clear, there would be no hamas without iran. no hezbollah without iran. there would not be the iranian militia in syria that are trying to get our military men and women if it had not been for ron. there was funding a ron? china is buying oil from iran, russia is getting drones and missiles from iran. they are in an unholy alliance. the last thing that we need to do is to tell israel what to do. the only thing we should be doing is supporting them in eliminating hamas. it is not that israel needs america. america needs israel. they are the tip of the spear when it comes to this islamic

terrorism and need to make sure that we have their backs in that process. [applause] >> mr. ramaswamy, in daylight between you and the candidates we heard on this issue what you would tell the prime minister? >> i would tell the prime minister that the founding idea of israel as they do not want to depend on anybody to defend themselves. israel has the right and the responsibility to defend itself. smoke those terrorists on his border and i'll tell the president i will be smoking the terrorists on our southern border. that is his responsibility. that is how we move forward. i want to be careful to avoid making the mistakes from the establishment of the past. corrupt politicians in both parties killed millions and made billions for themselves in iraq and afghanistan fighting wars that send people my age to die

in wars that did not advance anyone's interests. adding to our national debt. joe biden sold off our foreign policy. joe biden's son got a bribe from ukraine. that is why we are sending money back to the same country. the republican is not that much better. the likes of nikki haley who stepped down from her time at the u.n., she becomes the military contractor, she joined the board of boeing and otherwise and is a multimillionaire. i think that is what is wrong with republicans and democrats do it. do you want a leader from a different generation who put this country first? or do you want dick cheney in three inch heels? [applause] >> same question to you about your the president and your in the oval with the prime minister. you tell him what? >> i tell him not only do you

have the responsibility and the right to wipe hamas off of the map, we will support you. we will stand shoulder to shoulder. there will be no daylight. i will change the station and head back home to america. i want to say to president biden diplomacy only is a weak strategy. appeasement leads to war. from president obama to biden, obama sent millions to iran and president biden has sent billions to around. -- iran. i would tell president biden with great clarity if you want to stop the 40 plus attacks on military personnel in the middle east you have to strike in iran. if you want to make a difference you cannot just continue to have strikes in syria on warehouses.

you have to cut off the head of the snake and the head of the snake is iran and not simply the proxy. we want to have a powerful response from america, we have to be in a position of strength. my foreign policy is simple. you cannot negotiate with people. -- evil. you have to destroy it. >> look, lester, these problems are so big and serious that the first thing i would say is pretty simple. america is here no matter what it is you need at any time to preserve the state of israel. remember, hamas' main goal is to get rid of israel and get it off of the map. there are three things i think i would say when somebody asked for advice. it is absolutely your obligation to protect the territorial

integrity of israel. second link to make sure you protect the security and safety of your people. every time something happens to compromise either one of those things it creates greater unrest in the entire region. second, you must go in and make sure the hamas can never do this again. the fact is that israel and their intelligence community failed. they failed the people of the state of israel. we need to work closely and better together to make sure that they are degraded and we know everything that goes on within gaza strip so that something like this cannot happen that kills 1400 individuals again. the third is to keep your eye on the ball, make sure that we continue to isolate iran, work with the reasonable nations in the middle east, who want to partner with you and make sure that we continue to isolate iran to the threat is the evil forces, china, russia, iran, --

>> we will continue with a message from matthew brooks, the ceo of the republican jewish coalition. a partner of the republican national committee in this debate. here it is. >> given the iranian backed proxy bases attacks that wounded nearly two dozen of our u.s. servicemen, do you support the use of military force by the united states against iran? >> will you please answer that? >> -- i want to say that they are five inch heels and i only wear them when i can run in them. i wear heels, they are not a fashion statement, they offer ammunition. what we need to be doing for iraq and syria is first of all, the idea that our men and women can be targeted. we have allowed almost 100 hits to happen under biden's watch is

unthinkable. we need to understand this is iran giving the green light telling them what to do and we should not be doing this like what joe biden has done. we need to go and take out their infrastructure that they are using to make those strikes with so that they can never do it again. iran response to strength, punch them once and heart and they will back off. what we do not need is biden falling all over himself to get into the iran deal. giving $6 billion to get five hostages home. netanyahu is told he needs a cease-fire. we do not need him sitting there tiptoeing around around because he thinks they will do something. you do not respond to an enemy with fear. he respond with strength. when you do that, the world pays attention. that is when iran stops. >> governor desantis, if i can continue with you, the u.s. launched another limited

airstrikes with targets in syria and iranian length facilities. how far would you go militarily to hold ron accountable? -- iran accountable. >> i appreciate you guys rallying together in difficult times. i served in iraq and we had al qaeda, you had militias that were funded by iran were killing hundreds of u.s. troops and as commander-in-chief, i am not going to put our troops in harm's way unless you are willing to defend them with everything you have. biden has them out there, they are sitting ducks, he is doing a blows, inviting more tax from the iranians -- attacks from the iranians. you harm a hair of the head of the american servicemember and you will have hell to pay. we are not letting our

servicemembers be sitting ducks whether it is a random or any country in the world. we have to be strong and we have to defend the people who defend us. >> are second and final question to the republican jewish coalition, please watch. >> jewish students across the country are threatened and under attack. what do you say to jewish students on college campuses who feel unsafe given the dramatic rise in anti-semitism? what do you say to university presidents and college presidents who have not met the moral clarity moment to forcefully condemn hamas terrorism? >> would you like to take that one? >> i think the scourge of anti-semitism across this country including in places like my alma mater and brooklyn bridge in new york, it is sad to see but here is what history teaches us. anti-semitism is a symptom of a deeper cancer in a country and a society that is lost.

we are lost. when i wrote my first book, i was talking about they were chanting death to america, white people, christians, nobody was waking up back then and now it is best to israel and worse. we have to get to the root cause here. i think it is important that we do this through leadership not censorship. ownership means filled the void with purpose and meaning. dilute this anti-semitism to irrelevancy. these kids have no idea what they are even talking about when they are siding with hamas over israel they are fools. want to caution if we go the direction of ron desantis or nikki haley which allows respectfully disagreeing on this issue, telling student groups to disband, mark my words, students will question the vaccines. they will say if you show up at a school board meeting your domestic terrorist. that prisoners should be released. insurrectionists and terrorists. we do not want censorship

because that creates a worse underbelly. we quell it through leadership and come and get out, the university them raiders lost their way and leadership at the top of the united states of america, and restores our founding values and it has no place for this kind of anti-semitic hate. that is where i stand while respecting our constitution. >> let me get you to weigh in. let me just say that every single university president in america, federal funding is a privilege, not a right. [applause] number two, every student who comes to our country on a visa to a college campus, your visa is a privilege, not a right. number three any campus that allows hate or allows students to encourage mass

murder and genocide, you should lose your federal funding today. period. to all of the students on visas who are encouraging jewish genocide, i would deport you from those campuses. we have to stay as strong with our jewish americans. at the end of the day we should not have our jewish students in a library being told to hide. our streets in new york and jewish citizens have the right to walk in the streets in america with no fear. they have the right to go to college campuses and class and not fear. we will restore that. i started working on anti- semitism in 2017 because even then there was a rise in anti-semitism on college campuses. we must force the people off of the campuses. >> thank you.

let me return to the governor ron desantis. what do you think about what he just said? >> i was a first candidate to say if you here on a student visa and making common cause with hamas i'm canceling your visa and i'm sending you home. note questions asked -- no questions asked. i have friends in florida whose kids do not feel safe haven going to university campus at all outside of the state of florida. we students fleeing for their lives at cooper union, joe biden should have the department of justice on these campuses and holding universities accountable. he shouldn't have money going to these places, already acted in florida, we had a group of students for justice for palestine saying that they are common cause with hamas. this is what we are. we deactivated them, we will not use takeback scholars to fund jihad!

not only is biden not helping the jewish students, who are being persecuted, he has launched an initiative to combat islamophobia. it is the anti-semitism that is spiraling out of control! that is what we have to confront and as president i can tell you this, we are not going to stand for this on college campuses any longer. >> thank you. let me turn to christie. you let a state with a sizable muslim population. as you know, a six-year-old palestinian-american boy was killed in illinois by his landlord, his mother was also stabbed more than a dozen times. it has been charged as a hate crime. what do you say to muslim americans were also feeling afraid for their safety right now? >> and only one who has actually had experience -- i am the only one who has experience being the u.s. attorney on september 10, 2001. when i took over that job after september 11, i had to deal with

a situation in our state that was explosive. we are the most ethnically diverse state in the country. we heard reports about jewish students and synagogues being threatened in our state in the aftermath of 9/11. we made sure that we set federal agents -- sent federal agents and the same thing is being done now. i personally went from mosque to mosque in new jersey and met with the leaders of those mosques and with the members of the mosques. i said to the law enforcement will protect you if you comply with the law. we developed five less relationships with muslim americans all across the state of new jersey -- we developed wonderful relationships with the muslim americans all across the state of new jersey.

we stop hate crimes. it takes leadership to know how to do this, you must work with both sides, both sides need to know it. let us never have a false moral equivalence between hamas and hezbollah and the jewish people. the jewish people stand for justice and hamas stands -- >> ambassador haley, what do you say to americans who are afraid in this environment we are talking about? >> you look at the country and the country is a lot of sorts. look at what these kids are dealing with, what makes me so angry is not only do you have the kids barricaded in the library, they said they would shoot up the kosher dining hall. kids normans who are being set on fire because they have something related to israel on their doors. no person should ever feel in danger like this. this is what i say about our college presidents, if the kkk were doing this, every college

president would be up in arms. this is no different. you should treat it exactly the same. in semitism is just as awful as racism -- anti-semitism is just as awful as racism good for everybody who is protesting on his college campuses in favor of a mosque let me remind you, hamas said death to israel and death to america. they hate and would kill you too. the idea that they are talking about genocide for the jewish people. that is not the values of america. that is not us. we are better than that. we do not need to celebrate terrorists, genocide, violence towards anybody. we need to go back and soul search in our country are about. we are about taking care of people, not going and making them live in fear because some other terrorist activity says they want to destroy them. >> thank you. >> this is another question for the entire field.

senator scott, i would like to start with you. the united states is given ukraine financial and military support since the war -- has given ukraine financial and military support since the war began. americans would be forced to quote, send your sons and daughters to defend nato countries. where do you stand on more funding for ukraine? >> i have been supportive of ukraine. i believe ultimately we should make sure that the president of the united states, there is america's final interest in ukraine. it is degrading the russian military. we have been effective using our resources and weaponry and the incredibly high price of ukrainian blood to achieve that objective. we get closer to the all of the russian military and that is good news. the american people are frustrated they do not have a

president who reminds us and tells us where is the accountability? we need those answers for us to continue to see the support for ukraine. at the same time, i would say that the package that has been offered by the president for ukraine and israel is the wrong approach. we need to focus specifically on providing israel with the $40 billion that they need so that we show the world that we are 100% undeniably standing shoulder to shoulder with israel. as we turn away from that direct support for israel we should go to our southern border and close our southern border with the resources necessary. i believe we have sleeper terrorist cells in america, thousands of people coming from iran, syria, and a rack. if we deal with the national security emergency at our border, we have to do it now.

>> just to be very clear if you were president, in the oval office today, would you sign off on more military funding for ukraine or would you discontinue it? >> we have to have the level of inability to understand where the resources have gone. number two, actually make responsibility and taking care of responsibility. look at the overall strategy to stop the russian military while the use resources. keeping our nato partners safe from the russian military is absolutely essential. article five, it requires us to support and defend nato. our troops on the ground. the fastest way for us to eliminate that possibility is for us to destroy the russian military. by doing so we actually achieve the objective of keeping our military home. that is good news. >> are you persuaded by

president zelenskyy's new plea? >> i am unpersuaded. i am enjoying watching the ukraine hawks quietly tiptoed back from their position as this has unwound into a disaster. the first half, i was only person standing for it and they are coming around to be more cautious as they should. ukraine is not a paragon of democracy. this is a country that has banned 11 opposition parties and consolidated all media and one state tv media arm that is not democratic. it has threatened not to hold elections. it has a nazi in their own ranks. more facts for you you when i hear from the mainstream media, the region of ukraine that is occupied by russia right now,

these are russian speaking regions that have not even been part of ukraine since 2014. other people could not name those provinces for you, those are the hard facts. frame this as a battle between good versus evil, do not buy it. i would see the sharpness of the war hawks on ukraine show some accountability, do you want to use taxpayer money to fund the banning of christians? that is what is happening, they're using the ukrainian orthodox church, they have abandoned them. supported by our dollars. i went to the american -- you owe it to the american people -- [indiscernible] >> thank you. we asked a question. what is your take on more funding for ukraine? >> i am telling you who didn't and president xi jinping are salivating at the thought that someone like that could become

president. they would love it. [applause] i will tell you. >> mr. ramaswamy you had your time to talk. >> we all remember what that thug did when he invaded ukraine. we all know that half a million people have died because of putin. here is a freedom loving, pro-american country that is fighting for its survival and its democracy. i do not think we should give them cash, we should give them the equipment, ammunition. if biden had done it when they first asked for it is war would be over. let us also remember this, when you left afghanistan in shambles and left them with a ton of weapons and money it is not that we left. it is how we left. you look at ukraine, do not think for a second everybody wants to move away from ukraine, they want to move away from israel a year from now. americans can ever be so arrogant to think we do not need

friends. after 9/11 we needed a lot of friends. now is the time to get the partnership. this unholy alliance between russia, ukraine, and china israel. -- is real. they know that china is coming after them next, there is a reason why ukrainians want us to supports israelis, they know that if a wrong wins russia wins. we have to see the combination. >> what is your take and how long should americans be expected to help fund the war in ukraine? >> let us remember the last time we turned our back on a shooting war in europe, it bought us a couple of years and then 500,000 americans were killed in europe to defeat hitler's. this is not a choice, this is the price we pay for being the leader of the free world. this alliance is not just with russia and china.

governor haley knows this, iran is in the middle of this as well and so is north korea. the reason they are doing it is because dictators work together. people who believe in democracy work together. we must stand with all of those who are standing up for democracy and freedom of this world and by the way, in 1992, this country made a promise ukraine. we said if you return nuclear missiles, that were part of the old soviet union to russia and they invade you, we will protect you. we promised, we need to stand by it. those of us who forget history are doomed to repeat it. [applause] >> i would like to respond. >> the absolute giving into dictators which is been suggested on this stage just shows the immaturity of the approach.

>> thank you. >> governor desantis, i would like you to weigh in on this. are you concerned this could become a wider war if putin is not stopped now? >> any suggestion by zielinski or anyone else that we should have u.s. troops there, what i president that will not happen. we are not going to send your sons and daughters to ukraine. i will send troops to our southern border, look at the threats that we face, terrorists have come in through our southern border, i will shut it down and have the military support the people who -- deport people who come from the middle east. biden wants $105 billion, most of that is ukraine including some of it going to a pension for bureaucrats and salaries. that is a totally ridiculous use of american tax dollars. he says he has money for the border to do it and when you look at it, what most of the money is is money to process more illegal aliens into this country. how is this solving the problem.

that is making the problem worse . what does he do for the indo pacific? a pittance. that is the top threat we face. we need to bring this war to an end, the europeans need to step up do their fair share and the chinese communist party. >> thank you governor. >> we go from the heart bores in ukraine and gaza and israel -- from the wars in ukraine and gaza and israel, it is important for our visitors to be able to hear you and the people in beijing to hear you. many republicans believe that the chinese communist party is an existential threat to the united states. the flashpoint is taiwan. for decades, the american military and the united states navy has determined an attack on taiwan. now, the question is -- i will

start with you, haley, the goal with a ship navy, it is not 291. is that big enough to deter if necessary an invasion of taiwan? >> china has the largest naval fleet in the world, 250 ships, they will have 400 ships in two years, we want to have 350 ships in two decades. china has built up their military, it is not just land, air, sea, they are doing cyber, artificial intelligence, space. america needs to modernize our military, we need to do everything that we can, the first thing is we make sure that we have the back of ukraine, that is why the taiwanese wants us to support ukraine, but since the biggest message to china. we go to china and we start being tough on them, no more sales of our soil to china and take back what they have stolen. go to universities, no more

having millions of dollars to go to our universities. it will end all formal -- it will end all formal relations with china until we end fentanyl. when we strengthen our military, when we modernize this with a focus of cyber artificial intelligence in space, when we make sure that we have the backs of our friends whether it is in israel or ukraine and we should be arming taiwan. make sure that they have the equipment that they need. make sure that they had the training that they need. there's nothing china fears more than knowing that america will have taiwan's back. making sure that they have the equipment that they need. >> my question is specifically about the navy. 291 is going to go down, is it enough? what would you build if you are going to build more? >> we have a strategy of denial of president jinping's ambition.

-- xi jinping's ambition. they will export authoritarianism. they want social credit scores and internet monitoring. this is what the soviet union was to the post world war ii generation, i have released the plant and we will get deeper and of 55 ships at the end of the first term and 285 ships by the end of the second term and a pass to 600 ships over the next 20 years. i think that your freedom will be determined in the indo pacific and we have a strategy not with military, but coupling from the economy and fighting them here at home with our cultural ambassadors. i was not doing, she welcomed them into south carolina and gave them land, military base, wrote to chinese ambassadors, a love letter saying what a great friend that they were, that with the number one way to do economic development. in florida, i abandon china from buying land in the state and we kicked out universities and the

confucius institute out of our universities. we recognize the threat and acted swiftly and decisively. >> you have been in congress, defense spending has fallen over the entire period of time. where are we going to get the money and what would you build and what kind of ships to the tour china -- two deter china? >> we do not have a defense -- industrial bank that allows us to have the kind of production that we need in order to keep america safe. if we are not prepared to fight in 30 continents at the same time, think about where we are today? in the middle east we are in the midst of packing our strongest ally. -- backing our strongest ally. in the pacific we have ultimo challenges. the long-term threat is china. the immediate threat is our southern border. for us to have the military to

fight three different continents at the same time, we are going to have to invest heavily in our military. we have to invest heavily in an industrial basis so that we can get our objectives from a military perspective not only from our ships but also with our planes. we are so old is a military that in order for us to recalibrate we have to invest. the made in america strategy is we create more than 4 m illion new jobs by having high-tech manufacture come back from china to create an industrial revolution that will be necessary for the goal of having a military that is ready to be lethal and come home. >> i am looking for specifics. or would you build, where would you build it? when would they be in the water?

>> end the toxic divest to invest program. we are decommissioning ships in the south china sea. here is the dirty little secret, our actual defense industrial base depends on china for the supply chain. for the ships we are building, why are we stockpiling that if it is not actually strong against our enemy? we depend on them for that. just like we depend on them for pharmaceuticals. semiconductors. this is why we cannot get tough with china, we depend on them for our modern way of life and we have to be clear, economic independence from her enemies. that is a declaration of independence that thomas jefferson would have signed in the declaration of independence that i will sign as the next president. ron desantis was correct about technology and the tough talk when she was ambassador calling china are great friend.

bringing the ccp to south carolina. what was left out is there was a lobbying based exemption that allow chinese nationals to buy land within a 30 mile radius. we have to call a spade a spade. we need politicians who are independent of the forces that increase our dependence on china. my message to xi jinping is this. you will not 22 universities in this country, because businesses will not expand into the chinese markets. >> mr. ramaswamy -- >> the covid-19 pandemic, financially. we have to hold them accountable! [applause] >> you have a number or a plan? >> increase unable capacity by 20% over the course of the next several years. . we have to be able to meet our agreement standards. we are at risk of not even being able to meet our standards with

australia in the u.k.. we have to have a plan that reverses the trajectory of the divest to invest program over the next three years. >> governor christie? >> my first observation is nobody answers your question. [laughter] these three in the middle think that they are the enemy, china is the enemy. the nuclear submarine is the greatest deterrent to chinese aggression and that is the first place i would go to increase american naval power, a nuclear submarines are able to move stealthily, quietly, and effectively and if we are going to deter china, from invading taiwan, the only way to do is to make sure that they do not know how many submarines and ships are ready to strike if they move on taiwan, the first priority needs to go directly to

our nuclear submarine program and need to increase it drastically. there will be priority number one. ships come next, the ships are secondary choice then the submarines and they are the most important thing that we need to deter china. we need to let them know that the money they are spending in ukraine right now will not be effective. we sent putin home with his tail between his legs and make them understand that the same fate waits for them if they decide to move towards taiwan with a more aggressive nuclear submarine program to make that threat real. >> we will take a brief pause, we will be back. the republican primary debate. please stay tuned. ♪ ♪

>> welcome back to the republican presidential debate. once again here is hugh hewitt. >> we will stay on china and talk about tiktok. congressman mike gallagher who is a chairman of the house bipartisan select committee on the chinese communist party published a long essay on tiktok following the flooding of pro-hamas propaganda on the tiktok accounts across the united states. the german called it and called it shopping and coded predatory and controlled by america -- the chairman coded predatory and it is by were in means of surveillance. do you agree with him and would you ban or force the sale of tiktok? >> i agree.

tiktok is not only spyware, it is polluting the minds of american young people all throughout this country. they are doing it intentionally. when you saw what happened in the last few weeks, with all of this anti-semitic, horrible stuff. their algorithms were pushing out at a gargantuan rate. this is china trying to further divide the united states of america. this is one of the big failings among many of the donor pump administration. -- donald trump administration. he talked tough, but when it came down to it he did not ban it when he should have. six years of this type of poison being put out a the united states, putting aside leno is going on in the best of american personal data and information. so, in my first week as

president, we would ban tiktok. they want to sell it? go ahead. facebook is not in china. x is not in china. they are not permitting a free flow of information to the chinese people from our social media companies. we just opened the door and let them do what they are doing. tiktok should be banned because they are poisoning american mines and i would do it week one. >> would you ban or force the sale of tiktok regardless of whether or not china allowed american apps to operate in china? >> i think china is the top that that we face, a very effective at infiltrating different parts of our society. my policy on china and the chinese communist party is simple. we win, they lose. in order to do that it is not just military, it is economic and it is cultural and the data,

i'm concerned about the date that are getting from our young people and what they're are doing to pollute the mind of our young people. these kids get these devices and they have a mind of their own. a lot of parents are looking it is hard to keep it out, china is obviously the most extreme. this is happening with other things. we are going to do that and make sure to protect the american people. it is a full-spectrum approach to be able to send china off. military deterrence, economic decoupling, also, their role in our culture. if we ignore that, we will not be able to win the fight. >> ambassador haley, speak to the parents, tiktok is on half of the phones in this auditorium? >> two people hit me and he did not let me respond. let us talk about the fact they want to talk by the chinese land. from 10 years ago, i bought a fiberglass company to south carolina. ron, you are that your of your economic development agency, as of last week, said florida is

the ideal place for chinese businesses. not only that, you have a company that is manufacturer of chinese military planes! you have expanded two training sites in two airports one of which is 12 miles away from enable base -- from a naval base. another company was invaded by the homeland security. >> i did not give them anything! >> i abolished that agency. >> no! >> we abolished it. >> he scrubbed the website! go check! >> you scrub your website last week! >> mr. ramaswamy, we have talked about this. you campaign on tiktok. how'd you get tiktok band if you use it? >> i want to laugh looking at families in the eyes in the last

debate she made fun of me for 20 tiktok while her own daughter was actually using the app for a long time. take care of your family first. >> leave my daughter out of your voice! [indiscernible] >> you have supporters popping her up, that is fine! the answer is we ban one app, we have to ban any company that is transferring data to the chinese. here is a story that most people do not know, airbnb hands over u.s. user data to the ccp. that is a u.s. own company, this is the problem when you have republicans who go the way that the winds blow and are on china. -- winds blow and not tough on china. get to the root cause. even if u.s. companies in silicon valley are regularly doing it. cut them virtue signaling,

democrats are on tiktok today, the only person who is putting the content the way that understand how things work speaking on pro-israel views -- stop u.s. companies from turning over data to chinese companies. >> you do not get the respond to personal attacks but you do. >> when he talks about me praising china he does not know the fact that the reason china was afraid is because i negotiated with china and russia at the longest set of sanctions against north korea in a generation. that is literally the reason north korea stopped testing ballistic missiles. when i said china did good on their part that is the negotiation. >> those are your words, not mine. >> you have never been able to negotiate! i have fought in china, my entire career in the united nations! every day i fought china and i managed to get sure that nobody got any agency. i did it by making sure that we

called them out on human rights and i did it by making sure that we held them accountable on everything that they did. that is why we got out of the human rights council. i will say i have accountability! >> we will turn off -- -- senator scott. [applause] >> i appreciate you applauding for me. we should ban tiktok. we saw under former president trump, he tried to ban tiktok twice. it was struck down by the federal courts. if you can't ban tiktok, you should eliminate the chinese presence on the app. we also should provide, we give parents the opportunity to give their kids permission under 14 to be on those apps. i think it's incredibly important for us as americans to

take back control of the information of our kids. where does it go? we should know that. we get to know that by having parental consent. if we can eliminate tiktok, that's a first step. but it's not just tiktok. china continues to spy on our kids but they are also biting our farmlands. we have to make sure that we use the tools in our toolkit to stop china from buying farmland near our bases. we have to make sure that they stop stealing our intellectual property. they are literally stealing rip to compete against us. my administration, we stopped that day one and we start making sure that we create six-figure income for jobs made in america. [applause] >> thank you so much. now we will talk about venezuela

where millions have fled political and economic turmoil. many immigrants are settling right here in florida. former president trump have taken different approaches to the regime with little result. former president trump put pressure on venezuela and that's one of medeiros rivals. >> we should never rely on venezuela for oil like biden has had to go bag. i will unleash all of america's energy potential on day one or get taking all the biden regulations, the green new, ripping it up and throwing it in the trashcan where it belongs. we will lower gas prices, create jobs, we will also be more energy independent and secure. we will choose midland over

moscow and bock in over beijing. that's good for america's national security. bidens green new deal is good for venezuela, russia, iran, and china. i would turn the screws on the venezuelan regime. i think it's a corrupt regime. we should never go hat in hand begging for oil from them. >> i watched thousands of venezuelans cross for hours in the hot sun holding their babies to get the meal that they might get that day. they were fleeing socialism and begging for freedom. we need to make sure that we need to do everything we can to sanction madura. temporarily priority status which is going to avenue more of them come.

he was praised by the sarah club. you are trying to own it. >> let me respond to that. our whole energy plan, you can't get the shale without fracking. we are going to frack. i disagree with nikki haley. i don't think it's a good idea to drill in the florida other grades. -- everglades. >> you band fracking. >> let's turn to one of the biggest issues for voters, the economy. this question will go to all of you. an iowa voter said, how will i make sure my pantry is stocked without breaking the bank? you said the best way is to cut

government spending. but that would take time to play out and americans are struggling right now. senator scott, the moment you take office, what would you do to help americans manage the cost of living? we are talking about short-term here. >> my mother was a single mother who raised me and my brother in a challenging economic situation. the first thing is that when your gas prices are 40% higher than they were a little over two years ago, that's not a problem for my mom, that was a crisis. the first thing i would do is start the xl keystone pipeline and resources flow. make sure that there is certainty and pricked ability so that those folks who have the least in our country would have the certainty and pricked ability to go ahead and become energy independent. we should focus not just on being energy independent, we should focus on being energy dominant. america is a home to more energy

resources than any other country on the planet. we can reduce the price of energy. we can reduce the price of food and the price of electricity if we focus on my build here, don't borrow from china plan that will create 10 million new jobs. one area is innovation. second is the high-tech manufacturing. third is the energy economy. we have an opportunity as americans to actually export the surplus energy that we create in our nation and disconnect from china and from murderous dictators around the world. >> your time is up. the idea of turning on pipelines, that doesn't make gas cheaper that tape. i'm talking about, what do you do specifically to help people

feel better about their situation? >> it does to be honest with you. the way the economy works, it works on the ability to anticipate excess supply versus the demand. when that happens, confidence drives our prices down because we know there will be a greater surplus. when you allow them to start drilling to start using the leases for more energy excavation, you put our economy in the strongest position. as a result of that, prices go down. that's the kind of economy that is president of the united states i would lead this nation to make sure that we first use the resources in our own country and not going outside of our country in order to achieve our objectives. the borrower is slave to the lender. we have become and indentured service -- servant to countries

like china by having an energy economy. we start allowing this nation once again return. >> thank you. let me ask the same question to governor desantis. you said a number of things i -- a minute ago. putting better in a better economic footing right away. >> i started off working minimum wage jobs. six dollars and a lower -- per hour, and electronic assistant. i believed in america, if you work hard and get the most out of your ability, you can get ahead. what's happening now, many of you are working hard and falling further behind. i've met people in iowa, new hampshire, and across the country who have talked about the burdens they are facing with the rising prices. i've heard from multiple people the same story. when they go grocery shopping, what they do is figure out what they have to take out of the cart once it's ringing up because it rings up so much faster and so much higher at the cash register that they can't

afford the full cart of groceries anymore. we have to restore the american dream in this country. what can you do on day one? here's what i'm going to do. take all the executive orders, regulations, everything involving biden onyx, i will rip it up and throw it on the trashcan where it belongs. that will get the economy breathing room. i'm going to rain and the federal reserve. they have helped create with their reckless monetary policy what we have faced since the covid-19 pandemic. they botched it, both parties are to blame. the fed should focus on stable prices. they are not an economic central planner for the american people. >> ways you can improve financial conditions in the short term. >>'s quarter my vision for this country. increase the supply of everything. increase the supply of energy.

that brings down the cost of energy and grows the economy. drill, frack, burn coal. increase the supply of labor in this country. stop using taxpayer money to pay people more to stay at home. increase the supply of housing. people don't talk about this in the republican party. the land-use restrictions are constricting the supply of housing, making housing more expensive for ordinary americans across the country. that's the true answer. it takes a ceo who really understands this to get this done. americans at home know that biden onyx is a lie. prices are going up. interest rates and mortgages are going up. but wages have remained flat. that's the hard diagnoses for our economy. it's about more than just the economy. i'm 38 years old. the youngest person ever to run for u.s. president as a republican. the reason my generation has lost our sense of national pride in part is because people in my generation feel like the

american dream isn't available to them. part of the reason is that we burdened them with four-year college degrees that did not serve their head start on the american dream. people will be more proud of the country if we are all making more money in that country. this is how we revise national try -- national pride and it will take a ceo in the white house to take on this debt. [applause] >> part of the premise of the question, absolutely energy is the key to this. it drives all of those other prices. you know how food gets to the grocery store? trucks. truckers have to pay for fuel. when you go ahead and you tell people, we are going to unleash every bit of american energy, every bit of its potential, what happens in the futures markets? prices go down. those people who believe that the biden program will continue

are the ones who are bidding this up. the other thing is the middle east. if you don't believe that making sure that israel and that situation going on right now isn't resolved quickly and bring stability back, that will also not permit countries like saudi arabia and others to be able to jack their prices as well. really, it's a response to putting more money in their pockets. when they have an american president knows that israel must be defended not with humanitarian causes and suggestions for cease fire but letting them know, we will supply them with everything they need, that will also bring stability to the market. energy is the key to bringing this down. it's what every american family needs. we need to do that first and foremost. that's the short term answer. >> let me come at this from a slightly different direction.

americans in rural communities are being especially squeezed by inflation right now. iowa state university study found that last year, inflation cost rural households an extra $5,000. how would you help rural americans were suffering right now? >> i'm a product of rural america. i grew up in south carolina. what we are seeing now in america is the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. we have to start beefing up the middle class. the first thing i would do is eliminate the federal gas and diesel packs in this country. we will cut taxes on the middle class. we have to stop the spending binge that's happening by republicans and democrats in congress. i will make sure we clawback the $500 billion that are out there. instead of 87,000 irs agents going after middle america, we will go after the hundreds of billions of dollars that exist. we will stop the spending and borrowing. we will eliminate the earmarks

and i will veto any spending bill that doesn't go back to pre-covid levels. that will cut trillions and allow us to be safe. we also need to be not energy independent, energy dominant. we are blessed with resources. let's do it. the reason no one should give you a number on the amount of ships in the navy is because in a few years, it will be more than our defense budget. no one can give you that number realistically without first tackling what's happening with the financial situation. it would be a false number to give you that. we have to understand, this is a crisis. it's a national security concern. if we don't deal what will happen with that interest expense in a few years, we will look like japan. we can't let that happen. the strong dollar matters. >> thank you very much. >> americans could see their social security benefits drastically cut in the next decade because the program is

running out of money. former president trump has said, under no circumstances should republicans cut entitlement. governor christie, you have proposed raising the retirement age for younger americans. what would that age be and would you consider making any other reforms to social security? >> share. we have to deal with this problem. if we raise the retirement age for a few years for folks in their 30's and 40's, if you can't adjust to a few your increase in social security retirement age over the next 40 years, i have bigger problems with him than his social security payments. the fact is, we need to be realistic about this. there are only three things that go into determining whether social security can be solvent or not. retirement age, eligibility in general, and taxes. that's it. we are overtaxed in this country and we should not raise those taxes. eligibility also. i don't know if out there tonight, if you are watching warren, i don't know if warren

buffett is collecting social security. if he is, shame on you. there are a lot of programs in this country that we all pay for that we don't get a direct benefit from. food stamps is one of them. fortunately in my life, i've never had me or my family on food stamps. but i'm glad it's there so that no one in this country goes to bed hungry at night if they have eligible he for that program. but i don't get a direct benefit. social security was established as a safety net program to make sure that no one would grow old in this country in poverty. that's what we have to get back to. rich people should not be collecting social security. >> can you give me a specific age? >> that will be part of the negotiation with congress. i'm not going to start negotiating until i get there. >> let me have the way and on this. you said engine that you would be open to raising the retirement age. have you determined what that age would be specifically and

what author reforms are you looking at? >> any candidate that won't take on entitlement is not being serious. social security will go bankrupt in 10 years. right now, you have ron and trump joining biden and pelosi saying they are not going to do any sort of entitlement reform. what we have to do is keep our promises. those who have been promised should keep it. for my kids you say, we are going to change the rules, change the retirement age for them. we should go to increases based on inflation. we should limit benefits on the wealthy. limit the benefits on the wealthy. and then expand medicare advantage plans. seniors love that. make sure we do that so that they can have more competition. that's how we deal with entitlement reform. >> can you give me a specific age? >> you have to work. chris, it's going to be those in those 20's just coming into the

system and it should reflect more life expectancy. it doesn't do that now. >> have you determined if you would touch entitlements? what reforms are you looking at? >> we are working within the last window we will have to actually fix this problem while still leaving social security and medicare benefits intact. the other candidates assume that it can't be done. she's right about it. her math assumes $7 trillion of our $33 trillion national debt going to fight wars like iraq and afghanistan. minus that, our debt would be $26 trillion light -- right now. then you go to zero-based budgeting which i proposed. it's how many ceos run businesses. don't use last year's budget as the baseline. start with zero as the baseline and ask what's necessary. 75% headcount reduction. that is severe.

shut down redundant agencies that should not exist. deliver economic growth as a positive tailwind. we can get to maybe even 5% gdp growth if we really take the regulatory shackles off of our economy. i believe this is our last best window to be able to take care of our national debt problems through those measures including sacrificing the foreign wars that many bloodthirsty members of all parties have a hunger for. that's the one secret for how we will be able to do this. we can't have the first conversation sending for an aids willy-nilly to countries whose national debt is less than ours. i think this is our last window and it will take a ceo from the next generation to do it. >> what are you looking at to keep social security sustainable? >> the bottom line is a simple one. we have to grow our economy and cut our spending. my mama and every other mama or

grandfather receiving social security -- i will protect your social security. the fact is that $1.1 trillion of social security, $300 billion on medicaid, 400 billion on veterans benefits, $1.7 trillion. if we are going to tame this tiger, the way you do it is not by picking on seniors who have paid into a program that deserve their money coming back out to them. the way you deal with it is you have to grow your economy. my plan creates 10 million new jobs, grows the economy at 5%. you add trillions of dollars of economic a committee -- activity. you have to cut taxes. in 2017, i wrote the tax cuts and jobs act. everyone said, revenue will go down. in 2018, what happened?

revenue was up by 3%. what we know is that the lack of curbs still works. if we are going to deal with that, we have to take our annual appropriations back to pre-covid levels of spending [no audio] >> would you raise the retirement age? >> all you have to do is go to a farm in iowa and watch the hard work and dedication. >> yes are now? >> my answer is no. listen to this. thank you. the more physical labor, a year two or three more is actually challenging to the physical body.

you and i might have a different perspective. for those farmers, they are working nine days. >> would you be open to raising the retirement age? how would you keep social security sustainable? >> as governor of florida, i know a few people on social security. i know it's important. my grandmother lived until 91. social security was or souls of -- source of income. that's true for a lot of seniors in this country. promise made, promise kept. i understand what you're going through with the rising prices. you need that social security check. we will make sure to get that done. what can you do to help shore up social security? one of the things causing problems is inflation. we have to reduce inflation. when you have higher inflation, the seniors get a cost-of-living adjustment. it doesn't cover the increase in the actual inflation rate. we need to get to at least 3% growth. you are never going to be able to have solving of the budget

without that. congress for decades took money from social security. social security would have more tax revenues and it put out. they would take it and write and i to social security. congress has a lot of dirty hands on this. i'm going to force congress to stop spending so much money. one thing, we talked about the retirement age as something that has changed. life expectancy in the united states is declining. >> would you raise the retirement age? >> when life expectancy is declining, i don't see how you could raise at the other direction. it's one thing to peg it on life expectancy. we had a significant decline in life expected see in this country. >> all right. we will be right back after a quick break from miami, florida. [applause] ♪

>> welcome back to tonight's nbc news republican presidential debate. once again, here's hugh hewitt. >> when nbc news talks to voters, when i talk to voters every day, they all say that the border is a top issue. it can mean a lot of different things. it can mean more than 150 arrests of people on the terror watch list. it can mean a burden on states from having migrants move into their state from southwestern border. i want to talk about opioids specifically in fentanyl. tens of thousands of american families have suffered deaths to fentanyl. young people sometimes die taking one pill. what can you do as commander-in-chief to stop fentanyl in the water --

fentanyl coming into the country? >> we can slow -- close the southern border. an additional $5 billion, we can use the currently available will a terry technology to surveilled our southern border to stop fentanyl from crossing our border. i've already led on legislation that would sanction the mexican cartels. if you remember the path, the precursors come from china. then they are manufactured in mexican labs. then the mexican cartels bring them across the border. by sanctioning their accounts and eliminating their cash, we starve them of what they need. closing our southern border makes it impossible to get in. military grade technology is a backup, making sure that we not only stop 70,000 deaths in the last 12 months because of fentanyl. it also allows us to deal with the human trafficking travesty that centering in our country in

the same path. if we are going to deal effectively with 100,000 overdose deaths in our country and the 70,000 that's directly linked to fentanyl, we have to deal with our ports of entry and deal with our southern border. if we do that effectively, we have started reducing the challenge from the outside. then we have to deal with the challenge on the inside. which seems to be connected to a mental health crisis that is spreading throughout our nation. >> senator scott mention ports of entry. 90% is received at ports of entry. we don't know if it's coming in through the open southern border. you've taken on cartels. can it be done quickly? what would you do as president? >> it can be done quickly into ways on fentanyl. the first way is exactly as you suggested. ports of entry. we have to beef up what our law

enforcement has in terms of technology. i would invest in that as president. we need to make sure that law enforcement has every tool that it is supposed to. on day one, i would sign it an exact -- an executive order that would send the national guard to partner with customs and border patrol at ports of empty -- entry and supporter. border patrol agents are overwhelmed. there's 200,000 encounters per month over the last 11 months. we simply don't have the man and woman power at the border to be able to deal with it. so dealing with law enforcement -- we have done this, we can do this. we have to give them the tools to do it and technology is the biggest tools that we don't have enough of. we also need to lower demand in this country. the way to lower demand is to start treating people again. you know, we started to do this before covid. we haven't done enough of it. for every family out there tonight who has lost a loved

one, to fentanyl or any type of overeater -- opioid overdose, you know that all you want is a chance for them to win their lives back. when our present -- when i'm president, we are going to call this what it is, disease. heart disease, diabetes, any other disease that can be treated, should be treated. we have to stop supply and we have to lower demand. [applause] >> governor desantis, you have talked about using united states special forces to attack cartels where they manufacture the chemicals that come from china. how often, how many, what does that look like? >> i was speaking to a dad who lost a son to fill in -- to a fentanyl overdose. the sun was in a drug addict. he took a pill that was laced with fentanyl. it was a fatal overdose. obviously, the pain of losing a child is as bad as it gets. he said, what was salt in the wound is that these elites in d.c. don't care about what's going on in this country.

they don't care that we have tens of thousands of opioid deaths, that fentanyl is pouring in. they aren't taking the type of action that we need to. we are declaring it a national emergency on day one. i am sending u.s. military to the border. i am going to deport people who came illegally. i'm going to build the border wall and have mexico to pay for it, like donald trump promise. mexico won't fork over money. we will impose fees on their it -- the remittances that foreign workers sent to billion -- we are going to mark the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. we are going to authorize the use of deadly force. i'll tell you this. if someone in the drug cartels is sneaking fentanyl across the border when i'm president, that will be the last thing they do. we will shoot them stone cold dead. >> ambassador haley? if the united states uses

special forces in mexico without prior notice to mexican allies to the south, what would your colleagues at the united nations think about it? >> i don't care what they think. [applause] first of all, you would have to go to the source. we've lost more americans then vietnam, afghanistan, and iraq combined. 75,000 americans last year. go to the source. it's the reason why i will continue to say, we will end all normal trade relations with china until they stop murdering americans. you watch how quickly that flow stops. we will send special operations in to take out the cartels. we need to -- go where they are distributing it and take them out. 25,000 more border patrol and ice agents on the ground and let them do their job. we will defined sanctuary cities. we will go back further remained to mexico policy so everybody stays in mexico and they never

got your in the first place. we will go to catch and release. -- instead of catch and release, we will go to catch and deport. that's the way we deal with the border. those are the things we have to do going forward. one of the first things we have to do is really focus on mental health and addiction centers. it is something that is needed in our country terribly. we don't deal with mental health. someone who doesn't get care falls into addiction. we owe it to them to treat it like the cancer that it is. [applause] >> like ron, i've actually met many parents across the country who have lost their kids to laced pharmaceuticals that have fentanyl in them. let's not even call that an overdose. that is not an overdose. that is pennyening. you -- poisoning. you put that fentanyl in a big

mac. we would call it what it is, it's closer to bioterrorism. i say that because as it uniquely relates to this crisis, that does warrant more aggressive means to deal with it. there's a presidential election in 2024. people may not be aware of that. it's going to be someone other than obrador, who has been a disaster in mexico. there's going to be someone else in charge. i hope they build a good rhythm with that next president of mexico. we'll use our own military to seal our own border. we need to stop our military protecting someone else's border halfway around the world where we're short here at home. i'm the only candidate on the stage as far as i'm aware who has actually visited the northern border. there was enough fentanyl captured on the northern border last year to kill 3 million

americans. we have to skate to where the puck is going, not just where the puck. is don't just build the wall, build both walls. use the military for swiss cheese for the tunnel they're building underneath that job. >> kristen? >> thank you, hugh. let's talk about last night's election results. abortion rights supporters saw victories in ohio and virginia following earlier wins in states like kentucky and virginia. governor desantis, how do you see the path forward for republicans on this issue? >> i stand for a culture of life and i understand that it's important that everyone get a shot. i'm reminded of a story about away young mother who was struggling in jamaica 3450, 45 years ago. she was counseled to not have a baby because she was poor, baby wouldn't have opportunity and she came close to having an

abortion and she decided to have the baby. that baby girl ended up immigrating to the state of florida, becoming a lawyer and a judge and i appointed her to the florida supreme court in august of 2022. we're better off when everybody counts, when we can promote a culture of life. i understand that some states are doing it a little bit different. texas is not the same as new hampshire. iowa is not the same as virginia so you have to work from the bottom up and do a better job on these reacha. with all that's happened to the pro-life cause, they've been caught flat-footed and have been losing on the refunda. a lot of them are republicans who would be voting far remember candidate. but the democrats have taken a position they will not identify a point at which there could be any protection all the way up until birth.

that is wrong and we cannot stand for that. >> former president trump has consistentlyed the abortion issue and how republican candidates have talked about it for theirlek really a losses. how do you see it moving guard? >> this is a personal issue for every woman and every man. i am unapologetically pro life, not because the republican party tells me to be but because my husband michael was adopted and i have had trouble having children. now we're seeing states vote and as much as i'm pro life, i don't judge anyone for being pro choice and i don't want them to judge me for being pro life. so some states are going more on the free throw life side. i welcome that there are some states going more on the pro choice side. i wish that wasn't the case but the people decided but when it comes to the federal law, be

honest, it's going to take 60 senate vote, a majority of the house and a president to sign it. no, we haven't had 60 senate votes in over 100 years. we might have 45 pro-life senators. so no republican can ban abortion any more than they can ban state laws. let's make sure we have good-quality adoptions, make contra exception acceptable. make sure none of these women are put into jail or given the death penalty for getting an abortion. let's stop the judgment. we don't need to divide america any more over this issue. [applause] >> thank you, ambassador. senator scott, how do you see the path forward and what do you make of what ambassador haley

just said. do you see this as a consensus issue? >> i'm 100% pro life and have a 100% pro life voting record. i would certainly, as president of the united states, have a 15-week national limit. i would not allow states like california, illinois and new york to have an abortion up until the day of birth. i certainly wouldn't allow for former democratic governor of virginia who talked about infanticide. we need a 15-week federal limit. three out of four americans agree with a 15-week limit. 47 out of 50 countries in europe agree with a 15-week limit. i would challenge both nikki and ron to join me at a 15-week limit. it is in our nation's best trillions and frankly i think it's unethical and immoral to allow for abortions up in the the day of birth. we have an opportunity in this

nation to stop that reckless behavior from sedates like california, new york, and illinois. i'd go a step further. in my plan, we'd start by funding -- resources to crisis pregnancy centers. we should support adoption. there are a number of ways that we can say to the expectant mother that we stand with you. we should not only be pro life before the child is born. we should be pro life after the child is born just as much. >> senator -- ambassador haley, would you will support a 15-week federal accomplishment? >> i would support anything that would pass because that's what would support more babies and moms. but you have to listen to the american people. tim, there was a bill last year. lindsey graham sponsored it. you didn't even co-sponsor the bill and then when you first were interviewed for this, when you ran, you wouldn't even say you were for 15 weeks.

>> that's not true. >> let's bring people together and decide what we can agree only. i will sign anything where we can get 60 senate votes but don't make the americans think we can support that when we don't have the votes. be honest about that. >> i want to give credit to tim scott. he's honest about where he stood and i think you should be honest to say if a bill is served up, would you sign it? here's my view on this. speaking as a man, they say men have trouble speaking on this issue. i don't think we need to be that way. it was my home state of ohio -- i'm upset about this -- yesterday, that passed a constitutional amendment that codifies abortion without consent all the way up to the time of birth. i know ohioans.

i was born, raised and live there. it represents the country. we talk about access to contraception, adoption and here's the missing ingredient in this -- sexual responsibility for men. we live in an era of reliable genetic paternity tests that are 100% reliable. men deserve more responsible so we can tell women we're all in this together. it's not men's rights vs. women's rights, it's about human rights and i come back to that case that clarence thomas spoke of. a pregnant woman walking down the street. she's assaulted. the unborn child dies in that fight. you find me one person in that country who says that criminal does not deserve liability for 245 death. you won't find one. that says we share the same instincts on this issue but we require a different kind of leadership to lead us gafford on this honestly.

>> thank you. governor christie, federal limits are important to a lot of republicans. where do you stand on this issue and what is the path forward for republicans? >> for 50 years conservative lawyers have been arguing that the federal government should have absolutely nothing to do with this issue constitutionally because it's nowhere in the constitution. and then we finally gain that victory, which was the creation of a constitutional right out of thin air that didn't exist and now people are running to say left short circuit the statements from doing what they need to do and go right to some sort of federal ban at some stage. and people on this stage are all over the mace. 15 weeks, 20 weeks, six. it was the founders who were really smart and this should be an issue that's decided by each state and i trust the people of this country state by statement to decide for themselves. in oklahoma you can't get an

abortion unless the life of the mother is at risk. in my home state to have new jersey, it goes up to nine months you can have an abortion. i mind ma morally recommend hencable but that is what the people of my state have voted for. the bigger issue is, and tim began to touch on this -- we're not pro life for the whole life. to be pro life for the whole life means the life of a 16-year-old drug addict under florida county lock-up is precious and we should get treatment for her to restore her life. the addict -- pro life is not just for the womb, it's for the whole life. >> candidates, thank you. we're going to take a final break and when we come back, we'll hear from all of you with your closing statements. this is the n news remember

presidential debate -- republican presidential debate. we'll be right back right after this. [applause] >> welcome back, everyone. with only two hours for a debate, we know there are other major issues that are important to republican primary voters. i'll ask you each to please use your closing statement to focus on any pop topic you are didn't have time to address and why you and not former president trump would be the party's best choice to tackle these important issues. senator scott, we'll start with you, one minute. >> there's a crisis that is growing in our nation and that crisis is cultural and spiritual. we need a renewal, a great awakening. we should reject the left's

valueless, faithless society. we should turn back to faith, patriotism and individual responsibility. we should stop choosing victim hood and start choosing victory. we should stop kneeling in prozest and start kneeling in prayer. there are basic truths that built this country. if you're able-bodied in america, you work. if you take out a loan, you pay it back. if you committed a violent crime, you go to jail and if god made you a man, you play sports against men. i do not just want to -- [applause] >> all of a sudden, please. >> i do not just want to win the battle against joe biden. i want us together to win the war. the war for our christian conservative values that changed my life -- >> senator scott, thank you. you have one minute. governor christie. >> thank you for hosting tonight.

listen, it's a gift. a gift to be an american. and i'm running for president of the united states because i'm tired, i'm tired of seeing the division, the anger and i could see in the eyes of americans their exhaustion. their exhaustion from the petty, personal politics that have taken over this country over the last number of years. i'm running for president to be a president of consequence, to do the big things, to make sure that america's role in the world stays number one, that we stand up for our friends and allies around the world and we stand up for what we believe in right here another home. it's not to eliminate our differences. our differences has always been our strength as a country, not our weakness but you can't truly say you love americales in you'red a ready to open up your heart to every american. i will as president and make sure i return honest tip and

integrity to the ovaloffs. we deserve and should expect nothing less. >> governor, thank you. let's go to mr. ramaswamy now. one minute. >> we're in the middle of a war right here at home. between those of us who believe in our founding ideals and love this country and a fringe minority who hates the united states of america and i think it's going to take a command earn in chief to lead us to victory in that war who first of all knows that we're in a war. second of all can't be captured by the special trillions along the way but third is from the next generation, somebody with fresh legs to lead us to victory. i'll shut down the deep state, declare economic independence from china, keep us out of world war iii and revive national pride in this country. i want to close with one message to the democrat party. end this farce that joe biden is going to be your nominee. we know he's not even the president of the united states. he's the puppet for the

managerial class so be honest about who you're going to put up. biden should step down now so we can know whether it's newsom, michelle obama or whoever else. ha have an honest debate. >> ambassador haley, you have one minute for your closing. >> thank you. the world is on fire. we have a war in europe, we have a war in the middle east. we have china on the march. it is very important that we know how to defend our freedoms and how to defeat terrorism and socialism. '6" to know the difference between good and evil, we have to know the difference between right and wrong. we know that a strong america doesn't start or a strong america doesn't prevent wars and we need to make sure we go back to the soul of america and be strong and proud again and we

can't do that, we can't win the fight of the 21st century with politicians from the 20th century. we have to move forward and we can do this. i know we can do this so join our movement. go to nikki haley.com and we will once again show what america that's strong and proud looks like. god bless. >> ambassador, thank you. [applause] >> governor, desantis, your closing. you have one minute. >> we must reverse our country's decline and that is going to require leadership. i will take the hits, the arrows, the barbs because it's not about me, it's about you. it's note about the past, it's about your future. we are going to fight for you. i am going to win for you and your family and i'm going to lead this country's revival. as a veteran of a iraq wash and in the navy, i will always put service above self as president. as the father of three young

kids, i'm going to ensure that this country is left to the next generation in better shape as we found it and as the governor of florida i delivered on all my promises and you can trust me to deliver for you as the president of the united states. i am asking for your vote. i'll be a nominee that will be able too win the election. a nominee you can be proud of and as your president, i will not let you down. god bless you. [cheers] [applause] >> governor desantis, thank you. that is going to conclude our debate. the next line says that the audience can hold their applause. that didn't work out. but on behalf of my fellowo moderators, thank the candidates for their time and for this spirited debate. really good conversation. thank you to our wonderful hosts here at the performing arts center. on behalf of the republican

national committee and all of us at n news, good night, everyone, from miami. [applause] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2023] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] ♪ >> c-span campaign 2024 coverage is your front row seat to the presidential election. watch as we follow candidates on the campaign trail with meet and greetses, speeches and more as you make up your own mind. campaign 2024 on the c-span network. c-span now, our free mobile video app or anytime online at c-span org. c-span, your unfiltered view of

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