Indian American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, has voiced his deep alignment with former President Donald Trump on policy matters, with over 90% agreement while acknowledging some “small” differences. Ramaswamy is positioning himself as one of the few ‘America First’ candidates, citing Trump’s foreign policy and trade approach as a model to follow.
In recent campaign efforts, both Ramaswamy and Trump have expressed admiration for each other, fostering a less critical atmosphere towards each other’s policies. Ramaswamy stated during an interview on Fox News, “We have some areas of differences, but they’re small. By and large, we are the two ‘America First’ candidates in this race; everybody else embraces the neo-con foreign policy view. So, I think we are deeply aligned on policies, 90 plus per cent of the way. There are some small differences.”
The term “neocons” typically refers to hawkish conservatives advocating for military intervention, and Ramaswamy’s use of the term seemed directed at his rival, Nikki Haley.
Ramaswamy elaborated on his policy positions, stating, “I would rescind affirmative action, I would militarize the southern border instead of just building the wall. I would shut down the US Department of Education, not just put a good person like Betsy DeVos on top to reform it.”
He also commended Donald Trump’s presidency, stating that Trump laid a “very good foundation,” and expressed his intent to take the ‘America First’ agenda further by uniting the nation around shared ideals and values.
Ramaswamy remarked, “I would be able to unite this country by leading the next generations of Americans with a vision of what it means to be an American. Revive national pride in the next generation, where it is lacking. I think we have an opportunity to reunite this country on shared ideals, and that would allow me to take the ‘America First’ agenda even further than Donald Trump did, by building on a very good foundation that Donald Trump laid.”
Despite Trump’s praise for Ramaswamy and hinting at the possibility of having him as a running mate, he also cautioned Ramaswamy to be careful about his controversial policy prescriptions for Israel, Taiwan, and Ukraine.
Ramaswamy has experienced a surge in GOP primary polls, reaching a tie for second place with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, although both trail significantly behind Donald Trump in terms of support. Trump maintains a commanding lead in the 2024 GOP race, with 56 percent support.
Ramaswamy’s bid for the presidency has gained attention, but he faces strong competition from Trump and other contenders in the 2024 Republican primary. The upcoming U.S. presidential election is scheduled for November 5, 2024.
