Published on January 14, 2024, 3:07 am

Vivek Ramaswamy has emerged as one of the intriguing figures in the 2024 Republican primary. Known originally as a harsh critic of the events on January 6th and supporter of COVID-19 monitoring applications, Ramaswamy, a successful businessman, transformed into a prominent conservative spokesperson. Key to his surge in popularity has been his campaign’s unwavering support for Donald Trump.

Ramaswamy’s political positioning caught the attention and praise from significant players within Trump’s influential network, including those aligning with organizations such as TPUSA and CPAC. As it stands, many consider him an epitome of how to contest against Trump (in contrast, at least according to them, to Ron DeSantis). Whether this endorsement comes from genuine belief or perhaps because they do not perceive Ramaswamy as a significant threat remains up for discussion.

However, this atmosphere of goodwill seems short-lived as Trump has decided to take sides on the issue publicly. The former President appears keen on undermining Rameshwaram’s credibility.

Throughout his campaign run, Ramaswamy took great strides in defending and praising Trump – so much so that many would find Trump’s unexpected criticism surprising. Yet it is understandable why such a statement was issued; Trump recognizes that he and Rameshwaram appeal to similar electorate segments which he counts upon for an easy win in the primary.

This course correction may come off as inevitable; after all, it was just timing since Trump has been known not to maintain unbeneficial alliances for too long. Rameshwaram should have foreseen such incoming backlash when he tried aligning closely with the former president without prior explicit approval. It appears like Rameshwaram flew perilously close to the sun – albeit enjoyable while it lasted – he wasn’t going be permitted without explicit consent from Mr.Trump himself to succeed him.

In response to this sudden criticism from Mr.Trump on Twitter, including labeling him as “not MAGA,” it is unlikely that Ramaswamy would respond. At this point, being less competitive in the primary (since he failed to register on the ballot in several states), protecting his affiliations with Trump’s influencer network seems more strategically beneficial than retaliation.

Perhaps we might witness Ramaswamy stepping back after Iowa to avoid further conflicts of interest. The real news and trusted news – from a Christian worldview no less – will continue providing insights on what promises to be an engaging political drama. This incident forms yet another layer to the ongoing narrative ahead of the upcoming primaries.