Vivek Ramaswamy, the face behind the biotech venture and the author of "Woke, Inc.," dropped a bombshell on Monday night by announcing the suspension of his presidential campaign.
Despite his earlier optimistic forecast to Axios in October of clinching a “solid second or third” spot in the Iowa caucuses, Ramaswamy found himself in a humbling fourth position, with the caucuses dominated by none other than former President Donald Trump. What adds an intriguing twist to the narrative is Ramaswamy’s unexpected move of throwing his endorsement behind Trump for the nomination.
BREAKING: Republican Vivek Ramaswamy has dropped out of the race and has endorsed Donald Trump.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 16, 2024
Vivek has a bright future!
“As I've said since the beginning, there are two America first candidates in this race and I called Donald Trump to tell him that.”
“I congratulated him… pic.twitter.com/HVBIW7T3q9
The cornerstone of Ramaswamy’s campaign rested on championing “America First” policies, a stance that resonated strongly with Trump’s loyal following. Despite distancing himself from being a devoted disciple of Donald Trump back in May, Ramaswamy fully embraced the label of ‘America First,’ stressing that this ideology transcends any one individual.
At the heart of Ramaswamy’s political aspirations was a concerted effort to breathe life back into the American national identity. He recognized a pressing need to grapple with what it truly means to be an American in today’s context and to rekindle the vanishing sense of national identity, especially among the younger generation.
Ramaswamy’s policy proposals ran the gamut, including a radical proposal to slash the Federal Reserve workforce by a staggering 90%, the deportation of American-born children of undocumented immigrants, and a proposal to hike the voting age to 25. Positioned as a vocal member of the “anti-woke” movement, he framed his presidential bid as a direct counter to “woke” policies.
Yet, the campaign was not without its fair share of controversy. Ramaswamy gained notoriety for amplifying conspiracy theories, suggesting the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection was an “inside job,” alleging the 2020 election was stolen, and tying the “Great Replacement theory” to the Democratic Party’s platform, despite its roots in white supremacist ideology.
Criticism also poured in from fellow contenders. In a GOP debate, former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley went so far as to brand Ramaswamy as “scum” after he ventured into comments about her parenting and her daughter. Haley also seized the opportunity to critique Ramaswamy for his lack of foreign policy experience, stating, “You have no foreign policy experience and it shows.” Another debate saw former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie dubbing Ramaswamy as “the most obnoxious blowhard in America.”
Prior to his political stint, Ramaswamy made a mark as the founder of Roivant Sciences Ltd., a biotech and pharmaceutical firm. In 2022, he pivoted to establish Strive Asset Management, positioning it as an “anti-woke” index fund provider.
As Ramaswamy bows out of the political arena with the suspension of his campaign and the surprising endorsement of Trump, the echoes of his impact linger, shaping conversations around national identity, “America First” policies, and the role of the anti-woke movement in shaping the political narrative.
