Nikki Haley Criticizes Vivek Ramaswamy: “Nothing Wrong” with American Culture

Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley took aim at tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy on Thursday, criticizing his comments about American culture being to blame for a lack of U.S.-born engineers.

The clash marks the continuation of a heated rivalry between the two Republican figures, which began during last year’s GOP presidential primary.

“There is nothing wrong with American workers or American culture,” Haley wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “All you have to do is look at the border and see how many want what we have. We should be investing in and prioritizing Americans, not foreign workers.”

Haley’s comments came in response to remarks made by Ramaswamy, who argued that American culture promotes mediocrity over excellence, contributing to a reliance on foreign-born engineers in Silicon Valley.

Ramaswamy, set to co-chair the “Department of Government Efficiency” alongside Elon Musk in President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration, made his case for cultural reform in a speech on Thursday.

“A culture that celebrates the prom queen over the math olympiad champ, or the jock over the valedictorian, will not produce the best engineers,” Ramaswamy said.

“This can be our Sputnik moment. We’ve awakened from slumber before, and we can do it again. Trump’s election hopefully marks the beginning of a new golden era in America, but only if our culture fully wakes up.”

The exchange highlights the ideological divide among conservatives regarding immigration and the future of American innovation. Tech leaders like Musk and Ramaswamy have championed immigration for highly skilled workers as vital for the tech industry, even while supporting Trump’s hardline policies on mass deportations.

“OF COURSE my companies and I would prefer to hire Americans and we DO, as that is MUCH easier than going through the incredibly painful and slow work visa process,” Musk wrote on X earlier this week. “HOWEVER, there is a dire shortage of extremely talented and motivated engineers in America.”

Haley, however, doubled down on her belief that America should focus on nurturing its own talent rather than relying on foreign workers. She dismissed Ramaswamy’s criticism of American culture as misplaced, arguing that the country’s values and workforce are among its greatest strengths.

The latest sparring between Haley and Ramaswamy recalls their contentious exchanges during the Republican primary debates.

The tension between the two boiled over last November during the third GOP debate, where Haley called Ramaswamy “scum” after he mentioned her daughter. Weeks later, Ramaswamy escalated the feud by labeling Haley a “fascist” during the fourth debate.

Despite their differences, Ramaswamy and Haley both find themselves navigating the evolving landscape of the Republican Party, which is grappling with divergent views on immigration. Silicon Valley conservatives, increasingly influential in Trump’s incoming administration, often find themselves at odds with traditional GOP hardliners.

While leaders like Musk and Ramaswamy advocate for policies that attract global talent, many Republicans argue for prioritizing American workers and imposing stricter immigration controls.

Ramaswamy’s comments come amid a broader debate about the cultural and educational factors that impact America’s global competitiveness. He framed the issue as a wake-up call, urging the U.S. to return to a culture that values excellence in education and innovation.

However, Haley’s response underscores the tension between fostering domestic talent and addressing immediate labor shortages in critical industries like tech.

As the incoming Trump administration takes shape, these competing visions for America’s workforce and cultural priorities will likely remain a key point of contention.

For now, the debate between Haley and Ramaswamy encapsulates the broader struggle within the Republican Party to balance tradition with innovation and global competition.