With real votes on the line, the former president took off his kid gloves for one “very sly” GOP rival who’s notion on how to “Save Trump” may have touched a nerve.
Having kept himself off the debate stage, former President Donald Trump’s interactions with his primary opponents have been relegated to commentary in speeches, attack ads and on social media. Saturday, his campaign set its sights on businessman Vivek Ramaswamy with only two days remaining before the Iowa caucuses.
Unlike Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who’d begun taking heat from the president more than half a year before announcing a run for the presidency and three days before his own re-election, Ramaswamy’s flattery of Trump throughout the 2024 election cycle had seemingly kept him off the radar.
A line appeared to have been crossed prompting Trump to lash out on Truth Social, “Vivek started his campaign as a great supporter, ‘the best President in generations,’ etc. Unfortunately, now all he does is disguise his support in the form of deceitful campaign tricks.”
“Very sly, but a vote for Vivek is a vote for the ‘other side’ — don’t get duped by this. Vote for ‘TRUMP,’ don’t waste your vote! Vivek is not MAGA,” the president continued. “The Biden Indictments against his Political Opponent will never be allowed in this Country, they are already beginning to fall! MAGA!!!”
Trump’s post came little more than an hour after Ramaswamy was seen posing with a group of supporters; each adorned with an image of the infamous Georgia mugshot that read “SAVE TRUMP…VOTE VIVEK.”
A group of young men in Iowa came out in the blizzard. They sent a clear message. pic.twitter.com/SrVAeoHPey
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) January 13, 2024
Given the green light that the businessman was now persona non grata, supporters of Trump across social media followed with their own scathing remarks on the White House hopeful who, in turn, vaunted his credentials in backing the president at every opportunity and re-upped his warning that the Republican field was really against former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, whom he considered an establishment puppet.
Sharing a video that reset his view that strings were being pulled to turn the primary into a “two-horse race,” Ramaswamy advanced, “I respect the hell out of Trump. He’s the best President of the 21st century. I’ve defended him at every step against the unjust persecutions…But OPEN YOUR EYES to the hard TRUTH: this system will stop at nothing to keep this man away from the White House.”
Here’s the plot & it’s hiding in plain sight:
1. Narrow this to a 2-horse race between Trump & Haley.
2. Eliminate Trump.
3. Trot their puppet into the White House.I respect the hell out of Trump. He’s the best President of the 21st century. I’ve defended him at every step… pic.twitter.com/2ws18qLQYR
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) January 13, 2024
The candidate issued another social media statement later on that clarified that his response to Trump was not going to involve more “friendly fire.”
“Yes, I saw President Trump’s Truth Social post. It’s an unfortunate move by his campaign advisors, I don’t think friendly fire is helpful. Donald Trump was the greatest President of the 21st century, and I’m not going to criticize him in response to this late attack,” wrote Ramaswamy putting responsibility on the president’s team instead of its leader.
“I’m worried for Trump. I’m worried for our country,” he added before he then rattled off his own efforts speaking out in favor of Trump. “I’ve stood up against the persecutions against Trump, and I’ve defended him at every step. I showed up at the Miami courthouse in solidarity following his first federal indictment. I filed a FOIA demand to the Biden DOJ. I submitted an amicus brief this week with the U.S. Supreme Court calling on them to overturn Colorado’s ruling. I pledged to remove myself from Maine’s & Colorado’s primary ballots if they remove Trump, calling on DeSantis and Haley to do the same.”
Yes, I saw President Trump’s Truth Social post. It’s an unfortunate move by his campaign advisors, I don’t think friendly fire is helpful. Donald Trump was the greatest President of the 21st century, and I’m not going to criticize him in response to this late attack.
I’ve met…
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) January 14, 2024
Closing out his comments, Ramaswamy endeavored to convey that American nationalism did not begin and end with Trump’s administration, “Our movement must live on. America-First didn’t start in 2016. It started in 1776. We owe it to our Founding Fathers to do the right thing for our country. I want to save Trump & to save this country. Let’s do it together. You won’t hear any friendly fire from me.”
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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