Four candidates for the Republican primary ahead of the United States presidential election in 2024 took to the stage on Wednesday in the last debate of the year. Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley faced strong criticism from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who said she "caves anytime the left comes after her," and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, who accused her of being "corrupt." Haley deflected the jabs by saying her two rivals are "jealous" of her recent campaign momentum, including a $250,000 contribution from entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and an endorsement from billionaire Charles Koch.
As in previous debates, the candidates' attacks against former US President Donald Trump were cautious and limited. He was criticized mostly for his foreign policy, including Haley saying he was not firm enough with China, and Desantis bringing up Trump's promise to "make Mexico pay" for the border wall. Haley also claimed Trump added $9 trillion in debt during his time in office. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie once again slammed his opponents for not taking Trump head-on, implying they are hoping to be picked as Trump's running mate once he wins the candidacy. He called the former president a "bully" and a "dictator" and predicted he will be "convicted of felonies" before the election. However, with Trump's commanding lead in the polls making him the obvious frontrunner, he is unlikely to be shaken, especially if the other candidates continue spending most of their airtime focusing on attacking each other.
