USA: Following a fourth-place finish in Iowa‘s initial caucuses, Vivek Ramaswamy declared his withdrawal from the White House race.
On Tuesday, Indian-American biotech entrepreneur and GOP leader Vivek Ramaswamy announced the suspension of his 2024 presidential campaign. He endorsed former President Donald Trump, emphasizing the need for an America-First patriot in the White House.
Following his fourth-place finish in Iowa‘s leadoff caucuses, the inaugural contest of the 2024 Republican presidential race, Ramaswamy declared his withdrawal from the White House race.
“This entire campaign is about speaking the TRUTH. We did not achieve our goal tonight & we need an America-First patriot in the White House. The people spoke loud & clear about who they want. Tonight I am suspending my campaign and endorsing Donald J. Trump and will do everything I can to make sure he is the next U.S. President. I am enormously proud of this team, this movement, and our country,” he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter)
This entire campaign is about speaking the TRUTH. We did not achieve our goal tonight & we need an America-First patriot in the White House. The people spoke loud & clear about who they want. Tonight I am suspending my campaign and endorsing Donald J. Trump and will do everything…
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) January 16, 2024
In the aftermath of Iowa‘s leadoff caucuses, where Ramaswamy secured the fourth position, he had previously lauded Trump as the “best president of the 21st century.” Ramaswamy even extended congratulations to Trump on his victory in Iowa. The second-place spot went to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, with former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley claiming third.
During Trump’s victory speech, he commended Ramaswamy for doing a “helluva job.” Although born in Ohio to immigrant parents from southern India, Ramaswamy emerged as a surprise contender in the 2024 Republican race, largely overshadowed by the former president. Ramaswamy has now pledged his support to Trump, announcing plans to appear with him in New Hampshire and suggesting that DeSantis and Haley should also consider withdrawing from the race.
However, a shift in Ramaswamy‘s stance became evident as he recently took a more critical position against Trump. He cited the former president’s legal challenges and political adversaries as factors that could weaken his candidacy. In response, Trump utilized social media to launch an attack on Ramaswamy, branding his campaign as “deceitful” and “very sly,” marking the first signs of hostility between the two.
The outcomes of the Iowa caucuses underscored a significant development – the former president, despite being 77 years old and facing multiple criminal indictments, continues to exert considerable influence over Republican politics. His dominance remains steadfast, positioning him as the clear and overwhelming favorite to secure the GOP nomination for the third consecutive time.