Republican debate: Vivek Ramaswamy and Nikki Haley at each other’s throats over TikTok

In the lead-up to the anticipated showdown, Mr Ramaswamy, a billionaire pharmaceutical executive, was publicly criticising social media platforms, particularly those with Chinese ownership.

He described them as “digital fentanyl” and declared he would be open to the idea of the US “banning TikTok outright”, in line with recent online campaigns over data and privacy.

Mr Ramaswamy went into the debate saying he was “hopeful it will be more productive” than the last one, despite frontrunner Donald Trump still not being in attendance.

The former President, who is currently leading in every major Republican nomination poll, snubbed the Miami event and instead held a rally just a few blocks away.

Ms Haley, the former Governor of South Carolina, was in Ramaswamy’s sights immediately when the debate turned to social media, bringing up her daughter using TikTok.

“She made fun of me for joining TikTok, while her own daughter was actually using the app for a long time, so you might want to take care of your family first,” Mr Ramaswamy said, to which Haley bit back immediately.

“Leave my daughter out of your voice,” she fumed. “You’re just scum.”

The five Republican candidates bickered over Ukraine, China, abortion and the future path of the party.

In the foreign policy discussion, all five displayed unconditional support for US ally Israel as the conflict in Gaza rages in its fifth week with more than 10,000 dead.

Ms Haley declared she would “finish” Hamas and that “the last thing we need to do is to tell Israel what to do” in its war.

Mr Ramaswamy branded Ms Haley a “Dick Cheney in three-inch heels,” referring to the former Republican former vice president and his strong foreign policy stance.

Mr Ramaswamy also made bold attempts to ridicule the Republicans when given centre stage, offering a devastating early assessment of the party’s performance in recent years.

“We’ve become a party of losers,” he said.

“We have lost 2018, 2020, 2022 — no red wave that ever came. We got trounced last night, in 2023,” he added. “And I think that we have to have accountability in our party.”

Meanwhile, Ron DeSantis is struggling in his long campaign to become the new face of the Republican Party, sagging behind Mr Trump by nearly 45 per cent points, according to US polls.

But Mr Trump has his own mountain to climb as he attempts to make a return as America’s commander-in-chief.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Minnesota Supreme Court rejected an attempt to keep the 77-year-old off of the 2024 Republican presidential primary ballot in the northern US state.

However, the state’s highest court said it would be open to hearing an eventual challenge to Mr Trump’s eligibility to appear on the November 2024 ballot.

Legal efforts to bar Mr Trump from next year’s White House race are also underway in several states, on the grounds that he violated his oath of office by engaging in an insurrection.

The Republican primaries begin on January 15 in Iowa, where Mr DeSantis recently won the governor’s endorsement, sparking another online meltdown from Mr Trump.

The eventual nominee is to face off against President Joe Biden, who has been backed by the Democrats to serve another term.