Republican debate recap: Candidates want more border, immigration enforcement

The first Republican presidential debate of the 2024 election started Wednesday at 6 p.m. Arizona time. It lasted two hours.

Fox News and Fox Business aired the debate on cable. The debate was also streamed via the Fox News website, the on-demand subscription service Fox Nation and Rumble, an online video platform.

Here are key debate takeaways from The Arizona Republic and the USA TODAY Network.

Candidates disagree over U.S. aid to Ukraine

Vivek Ramaswamy, Mike Pence and Nikki Haley engaged in some of the most intense disagreements of the debate when the subject of aid to Ukraine was discussed.

Pence said the U.S. needs to remain engaged in Ukraine because if Russia succeeds there, it is likely to expand the war to other nations, which would invoke greater U.S. involvement.

Ramaswamy said the “real threat” is from China, and that U.S. help to Ukraine is pushing Russia toward the communist country.

Haley jumped in and sided with Pence that the U.S. should continue to help Ukraine.

“Here you have a pro-American country that was invaded by a thug,” Haley said of Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

“He wants to hand Ukraine to Russia,” Haley said of Ramaswamy, adding he wants to stop funding to Israel.

“You don’t do that to friends,” Haley said.

Ramaswamy tried to interject, and the crowd became animated, but Haley kept punching.

“You have no foreign policy experience, and it shows,” she said.

When he was finally able to complete a sentence, Ramaswamy said Israel is a friend of the U.S.

“Friends help each other stand on their own two feet,” Ramaswamy said, adding that he would partner with Israel to ensure Iran did not gain nuclear capabilities.

— Ryan Randazzo

Republican candidates want more border, immigration enforcement

The leading Republican candidates weighed in during the debate on whether they would use U.S. military force to secure the U.S. border with Mexico and go after cartels.

Several of the candidates said the money used to fund the war in Ukraine should instead be redirected to the southern border.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told moderators that as president he would use all of the powers available to him as commander-in-chief and send troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to prevent fentanyl smuggling. He added that he would allow the use of deadly force and would consider sending special forces into Mexico to take out cartels by designating them as foreign terrorist organizations.

“We’re gonna use force, and we’re gonna leave them stone-cold dead,” he said.

His comments kicked off a section of the debate where the candidates staked their positions on immigration and border enforcement.

U.S. Sen. Tim Scott mentioned his visit earlier this year to the Yuma area in describing his desire to dedicate more resources to the southern border. He called for the U.S. government to invest about $10 billion dollars to continue building barriers, and an additional $5 billion to invest in technology to stop drug smuggling.

“That should be the priority of this government, and as the president of the United States, I will make that border all complete,” Scott said.

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said he would allow the legal use of force to stop drug smuggling along the U.S.-Mexico border, touting his work in the George W. Bush administration to take on the Tijuana Cartel in cooperation with the Mexican military. Hutchinson said the U.S. government must put economic pressure on the Mexican government to get them to cooperate in the fight against cartels, but said the use of the military had to be limited.

Mike Pence took credit for several of the immigration and border enforcement policies implemented during his term as vice president. He said he played a key role in budget negotiations to secure funding for barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border and negotiated the creation of the Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as the "Remain in Mexico" program. He agreed with Hutchinson about using economic pressure on Mexico to cooperate with the U.S., adding that when they pressed Mexico during the Trump administration, the government deployed its military to its northern and southern borders.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie called for the detention and deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. He said the government had to make sure not to reward migrants for entering the country without authorization, pointing to the individuals waiting to migrate to the U.S. under the legal immigration system.

Though he was not present on the debate stage, former President Donald Trump also weighed in on using the U.S. military to take on drug smuggling organizations along the U.S.-Mexico border.

As candidates staked their positions onstage, Trump emailed his action plan to media outlets. It includes restoring his border enforcement policies, which have been largely discontinued or struck down by U.S. courts. But he said he would use the military to impose a naval embargo and use special forces to target cartel operations. Trump said he would also call for the death penalty for drug smugglers.

“When I am back in the White House, the drug kingpins and vicious traffickers will never sleep soundly again,” he said.

At the end of a roughly 45-minute recorded interview with Tucker Carlson that was released Wednesday evening on the social media site X, formerly called Twitter, Trump also said the border would be his top issue if reelected.

— Rafael Carranza

Candidates spar over Trump, indictments

An hour into the debate, the moderators asked who among the eight candidates would support former President Donald Trump if he's convicted in a court of law — and called out former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie for appearing to waver.

Christie said he was not raising his hand to support the former president.

“Someone’s got to stop normalizing this conduct,” Christie said of Trump, who is facing four criminal indictments.

“Whether or not you believe the criminal charges are right or wrong, the conduct is beneath the office of the president of the United States,” Christie continued, eliciting boos.

“Booing is allowed, but it doesn’t change the truth,” Christie said, to additional boos.

Vivek Ramaswamy then said Trump was the best president of the 21st century and that Christie’s entire campaign was “based on vengeance and grievance.”

That sparked an intense exchange between the two.

“You make me laugh,” Christie said before getting drowned out by boos, forcing the moderators to ask the crowd to limit such reactions.

Christie said Ramaswamy wrote less kind things about Trump in a book, which appeared to fluster Ramaswamy, who began shaking his finger as he argued with Christie.

Christie then referenced Trump’s suggestion that the U.S. Constitution could be suspended.

“We need to dispense with the person who said we need to suspend the Constitution,” Christie said.

Former Vice President Mike Pence chimed in on Trump’s request in 2021 that the then-vice president reject the certification of Democrat Joe Biden and help Trump remain in office.

“He asked me to put him over the Constitution. I chose the Constitution, and I always will,” Pence said.

— Ryan Randazzo

Little mention of immigration or border so far

After nearly an hour of debate, there had been little mention from the candidates about immigration or the border, a perennial hot-button issue among Republicans.

Vivek Ramaswamy brought up the topic first, saying he would shut down the border to drugs and cartels, while Asa Hutchinson talked about the need to stop fentanyl smuggling from Mexico.

However, the debate moderators said the topic would come up in the second hour of the debate.

— Rafael Carranza

Haley, Pence disagree on abortion approach

Nikki Haley and Mike Pence disagreed on their approach to abortion during Wednesday’s debate.

After the first commercial break, about 30 minutes into the event, Haley emphasized that Republicans need to “stop demonizing” the abortion issue and threatening things like imprisonment for women who seek abortions. Because any federal legislation would require 60 votes in the Senate, she said, party leaders should be trying to find a consensus on abortion issues, such as banning later abortions and agreeing not to jail women who get them.

Pence talked about giving his life over to Jesus Christ and said he has been an ardent “champion of life."

“Consensus is opposite of leadership,” he said to Haley, whom he described as a friend.

He said it is not only a state issue, “It’s a moral issue.”

But Haley shot back and was allowed to respond because Pence had invoked her name.

“You have to be honest with the American people,” Haley said. “No Republican president can ban abortion any more than a Democrat president can ban all those state laws (prohibiting abortion).”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who signed a six-week abortion ban into law earlier this year, said that he was elected and that shows Republicans don’t need to seek the approval of moderates on the abortion issue.

“We’re better than what the Democrats are selling,” DeSantis said.

— Ryan Randazzo and USA TODAY reporter Maureen Groppe

Pence, Ramaswamy exchange insults

Former Vice President Mike Pence and Vivek Ramaswamy were the first of Wednesday’s debate participants to take serious shots at one another.

After Pence answered his first question, Ramaswamy offered mild criticism. Pence then responded that he could explain it more slowly so Ramaswamy could understand.

“Now is not the time for on-the-job training. We don’t need to bring in a rookie,” Pence said of Ramaswamy, drawing loud boos from the crowd.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie soon joined in on attacking Ramaswamy, after the entrepreneur and new politician accused all of the other candidates on the stage of being “bought and paid for.”

Christie said he was tired of hearing from Ramaswamy, whom he accused of sounding “like Chat GPT.” Christie then accused Ramaswamy of being similar to Barack Obama.

“I’m afraid we’re dealing with the same type of amateur,” Christie said, again drawing boos from the crowd.

— Ryan Randazzo

Haley first to criticize Trump

About 12 minutes into the Republican presidential debate, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley was the first of the eight people on the stage to criticize former President Donald Trump.

“Donald Trump added $8 trillion to our debt,” Haley said while calling for more fiscal responsibility in Washington after her first question in the debate. “I think it’s time for an accountant in the White House.”

Haley served as the U.N. ambassador during the Trump administration. Before that, she was governor of South Carolina.

— Ryan Randazzo

Who is onstage tonight in Milwaukee?

The participants in the first Republican debate of the 2024 presidential race are Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson.

Former President Donald Trump has said he will not participate in this GOP debate, but it wasn't clear if he intended to skip all of the presidential primary debates.

— The Arizona Republic

Who gets to be onstage? How candidates qualify for the RNC debate

‘Why wouldn’t they try to kill you?’ Carlson asks Trump in promo video

Tucker Carlson released a short video hours ahead of the Republican presidential debate teasing the questions he asked former President Donald Trump during a prerecorded interview that will be released as the debate gets underway.

“Are you worried that they are going to try and kill you? Why wouldn’t they try and kill you? Honestly?” Carlson asks in the video, which does not include the full responses from Trump.

“They are savage animals. They are people that are sick,” Trump says in the brief video.

“Do you think we are moving toward civil war?” Carlson asks.

Carlson also asked about Jeffrey Epstein, a disgraced financier who killed himself in jail after a 2019 arrest on federal sex trafficking and conspiracy charges. Conspiracy theories have been proposed about his death because Epstein socialized with people like Bill Clinton, Bill Gates and Trump, while Britain's Prince Andrew faced sexual assault allegations involving Epstein.

“Do you think Epstein killed himself? Sincerely?” Carlson asks Trump in the promo video.

The interview is supposed to be shown on X, formerly known as Twitter, at 6 p.m. Arizona time.

— Ryan Randazzo

Kari Lake, in Milwaukee, says some Democrats support Trump 

Kari Lake, the Republican who lost a bid for governor of Arizona last year, spoke to Donald Trump advocate Kimberly Guilfoyle and her fiance, Donald Trump Jr., in Milwaukee on Wednesday, telling them that some Democrats support Trump.

“There are millions of disaffected Democrats who are so wide awake now,” Lake said in a video that Guilfoyle posted online. “They are realizing their retirement savings have shriveled up. They’re realizing they have to spend $700 more a month just to survive the way they were before in Joe Biden’s economy. They are watching as their streets are not safe anymore.”

Lake herself was registered as a Democrat from 2008 to 2012.

Lake told The Arizona Republic last year she voted for Barack Obama because of his promise to end wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, but she felt he lied and "deliberately tore this country apart with identity politics" in his presidential reelection campaign.

She returned to the GOP in 2012.

— Ryan Randazzo

Trump campaign says debate is 'audition' for his second term team

Donald Trump’s campaign declared victory in the Fox News debate on Wednesday before candidates even took the stage and before the former president released his prerecorded video with Tucker Carlson.

Trump adviser Chris LaCivita issued a statement saying Trump has won because the rest of the candidates will spend an inordinate amount of time talking about him.

“You should also expect the Fox hosts to show an unnatural obsession with President Trump tonight, asking other Republican candidates over and over to react to President Trump’s policy positions," LaCivita said. "In fact, we will be tallying the number of times President Trump’s name is brought up, and his total ‘speaking time,’ even though he is not in attendance."

LaCivita also said that because the candidates won’t say anything negative about Trump, the debate should be called “an audition to be a part of President Trump’s team in his second term.”

— Ryan Randazzo

About the debate location: Milwaukee

The debate will be at Fiserv Forum, home to the Milwaukee Bucks NBA team.

While the Milwaukee area leans Democratic, Wisconsin went to Trump in 2016 when he ran against Democrat Hillary Clinton, and then swung to Democrat Joe Biden in 2020 when Trump lost his reelection campaign.

Wisconsin is one of several swing states that could decide the presidency in 2024. Out of the last six presidential elections, four have been decided by less than 1 percentage point in Wisconsin.

The debate will be held ahead of the Republican National Convention, which is also set to take place in the city next year.

Between 4,000 and 6,000 people will be allowed to view the debate live.

— Ryan Randazzo and USA TODAY reporter Rachel Looker

Trump plans for competing event

Donald Trump will air a pre-recorded video with fired Fox News host Tucker Carlson at the same time other Republican presidential candidates participate in a formal debate, the former president announced on social media Wednesday.

The debate will air on Fox News at 6 p.m. Arizona time, which is 9 p.m. on the East Coast.

"MY INTERVIEW WITH TUCKER CARLSON WILL BE AIRED TONIGHT AT 9:00 P.M. 'SPARKS WILL FLY.' ENJOY!” Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.

The Hill and The Wall Street Journal reported Trump's interview will appear on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Trump previously said he didn’t need to participate in the formal debate because he leads significantly in polling.

— Ryan Randazzo

Will Kari Lake be at the debate representing Trump?

Major media outlets reported last week that Trump affiliates, including failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, would travel to Wisconsin to possibly appear in the "spin room" after the debate to advocate for the former president.

The media outlet Axios, however, reported on Monday that a Fox News memo indicates that the cable network will restrict access to the spin room to aides of the participating candidates.

— Ryan Randazzo

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Republican debate 2023: Recap of the Fox News debate