Indian-origin American politician Vivek Ramaswamy drew thousands of attendees at Turning Point USA’s (TPUSA) “This is the Turning Point” tour in Bozemon, Montana, on Tuesday night (US time). Hosted at Montana State University, the event sought to honour the late right-wing activist and the nonprofit’s founder Charlie Kirk, but ultimately saw the Ohio gubernatorial candidate engaging in healthy interactions across topics.

While thousands of eventgoers showered him with rousing applause, a fellow individual of Indian descent was not as thrilled to hear the former presidential candidate’s views. Nikki Haley’s son, Nalin, hit out against Vivek on social media, slamming his response to the question “What is an American?” He also suggested that the biotech entrepreneur had come onto the stage after applying the wrong shade of foundation for this public appearance.

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Nikki Haley’s son Nalin trolls Vivek Ramaswamy

“Wrong. America is NOT an idea,” Nalin Haley wrote on X. “Otherwise Liberia, which has a similar constitution, would be like the US. Also, the makeup isn’t working for you.” In addition to trolling Ramaswamy, the youngest Haley even asserted that the generational gap between him and the Republican politician was at play in terms of inspiring “different positions.”

A Trump supporter re-shared Nalin’s first post on X, saying, “Nikki Haley‘s son gets it better than Vivek. Surprising!” Retorting to this, he wrote in the second post with Vivek at the centre, he said, “No it’s not surprising. I’m from a different generation so naturally I have different positions. Do you have identical views to your mom? I didn’t think so. Assuming someone’s views based on their parents views makes you close minded and low iq.”

Haley’s initial post targeted the Indian-origin Silicon Valley for his definition of an “American.” Having also been questioned for his Hindu faith at the event, the Harvard and Yale graduate said being an American means “we still believe in the ideals of 1776. We believe in merit – that the best person gets the job regardless of their genetics. That you are judge not on the colour of your skin but on the content of your character and your contributions. It means that believe in the rule of law.”

Doubling down on his identity as a “proud son of legal immigrants to the United States,” he said that one’s first act of entering the country “cannot break the law.” Also directing the focus to free speech, he asserted “words are not violence,” but “violence is violence.”

Further describing what Americanism meant to him, he said, “It’s about a culture that’s distinctive to our nation. Means that we believe in accountability. It means we believe we are brave, courage and heroic when called upon to serve our country.” Ramaswamy affirmed that even if Americans fail, they pick themselves up without associating hardship with victimhood. He also insisted that to be American meant they believed in the “legacy of their founding fathers” being immortal and their nation’s purpose in the world is immortal.

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About Nalin Haley

Born in September 2001, Nalin is Indian-origin Rep Nikki Haley’s second child. Although the former US Ambassador to the US had a Sikh upbringing, she eventually converted to Christianity, a faith she now shares with her husband Michael and her children. Her 24-year-old son grew up in South Carolina with sister Rena.

Having played basketball for his high school team, Nalin ultimately went to college at Villanova University. According to People’s report, the youngest Haley isn’t particularly fond of following in his mother’s footsteps in the political world. And yet, he is often found unloading criticism along the same lines of political rants on social media, where he is known for his outspoken views, as seen again in his trolling comments directed at Ramaswamy.