Former President Donald Trump has continued with his attack on political frenemy Vivek Ramaswamy in an ALL CAPS social media post on the morning of the Iowa Caucus via Mediaite.
Ramaswamy is running an outsider campaign with a curious strategy that praises Trump as the “greatest president in modern history”. However, he brings some baggage in the form of 91 indictments. Ramaswamy refers to himself as the other “America First” candidate, other than Trump, of course. This tactic initially seemed to please the 45th president, but on the day of the caucus, it did not seem to do so much.
Trump put it flatly to his followers that “A VOTE FOR VIVEK IS A WASTED VOTE” adding that he likes the fellow GOP hopeful, but that Ramaswamy “played it too ‘cute’ with us.” Trump posted on Truth Social on Monday morning:
A VOTE FOR VIVEK IS A WASTED VOTE. I LIKE VIVEK, BUT HE PLAYED IT TOO “CUTE” WITH US. CAUCUS TONIGHT, VOTE FOR DONALD J. TRUMP, BUILD UP THE NUMBERS!!! IN NOVEMBER, WE MUST TAKE OUR VERY TROUBLED NATION — A NATION IN DECLINE — BACK FROM CROOKED JOE BIDEN AND THE RADICAL LEFT DEMOCRATS AND THUGS WHO ARE DESTROYING IT. MAGA!!!
The missive came as a follow-up to a Sunday post that also attacked the young GOP hopeful, but in a more nuanced, less ALL CAPS manner:
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 Biden Indictments against his Political Opponent will never be allowed in this Country, they are already beginning to fall! MAGA!!!
Trump largely ignored Ramaswamy in 2023, but in the days leading up to the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary, Trump started attacking him.
Ramaswamy responded to the attacks on Saturday on social media, writing, “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.” He added:
“I’ve met tens of thousands of Iowans across 390+ events here, and they are deeply worried – and so am I – that this “system” won’t allow Donald J. Trump anywhere near the White House again. It seems they will stop at *nothing* to keep him away from power. I’m worried for Trump.
I’m worried for our country. 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.”
