'Delusions of grandeur': Vivek Ramaswamy faces backlash for saying 'wounded' Donald Trump can’t win 2024 election

DES MOINES, IOWA: In an attempt to win over Republican voters who are still enthused about the former president, Vivek Ramaswamy repeatedly referred to Donald Trump as "wounded" in an interview on Wednesday and asserted that he was the most qualified candidate to steer the MAGA movement forward.

Speaking in a joint interview with NBC News and The Des Moines Register, Ramaswamy praised Trump and his policies while also suggesting that he could push them further or implement them better.

Ramaswamy’s remarks were indicative of a difficult balancing act the candidate is attempting to pull off before the January 15 Iowa caucuses, maintaining that he is the best option for Trump supporters and that Trump cannot win the election due to forces that have aligned against him.

What did Vivek Ramaswamy say in his interview?

The 38-year-old biotech entrepreneur was questioned on why he would fare better than Trump while running against the same “system.”

Ramaswamy replied, “They don’t have on me what they have on him.”

“You can just look right now. They’ve got four different wars they’ve waged on this man,” he continued, alluding to Trump’s indictments and the 14th Amendment challenges to his ballot access in some US states.

Ramaswamy feels he has "done my best and gone to the fullest extent I can" to help Trump in his battle for ballot access.

Furthermore, the firebrand GOP presidential hopeful had previously vowed to abstain from any primary contest in states where Trump is being challenged, such as Maine and Colorado.

Ramaswamy issued a stark warning for American voters, saying, “I have deep concerns as an American that this system is going to take him out of contention. If we open our eyes to reality, I think that there is an unstoppable force attempting to move what they view as an unmovable object.”

Ramaswamy, while expressing his dissent on certain policies of the former President in recent times such as the southern border wall, also affirmed that he would divest his holdings as a President, unlike his predecessor.

However, his support for the former President and his movement has been steadfast, making it challenging to make a significant impact in the Republican primaries where Trump is also a contender.

Ramaswamy received 5% of potential Republican caucus attendees' support in the December NBC News/Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll, far less than Trump's field-leading 51%.

Going by more recent polling data, Ramaswamy continues to remain around the single digits.

When asked how he can attract voters who adore Trump, Ramaswamy replied, “In many senses, I support Donald Trump and his legacy as U.S. President. I respect what his contributions are to this country. But when making the choice of who’s going to lead our America First movement to the next level — that’s a separate choice.”

“I do think we’re in the middle of a kind of cold cultural war in this country, between those of us who love the United States of America, and a fringe minority who hates this country and what we stand for,” Ramaswamy added. “And when it comes to selecting a commander in chief, a general, to lead us to victory in that war, I think I’m best positioned to do it — with fresh legs, as a leader who is not yet wounded in that war.”

Ramaswamy added that Trump had let himself be "duped" in Washington, which prevented the execution of some policy recommendations, such as the extensive termination of federal employees.

He continued, “I think it takes two things to actually get this right. One is an outsider who can break the system when necessary. I bring that, Trump brings that, too. But it also takes an outsider who knows and deeply understands the law and the Constitution of this country. I think in many ways, this managerial class in the swamp, they duped Donald Trump.”

“They duped Trump in a way that they won’t be duping me,” Ramaswamy added in conclusion to his response on his dismal polling numbers.

Internet ridicules Vivek Ramaswamy

People on X reacted to the GOP presidential contender's comments on Wednesday and mocked him for trying to one-up himself in the eyes of Trump's die-hard supporters.

One X user remarked, ""Delusions of Grandeur.""

"Those forces "lined up against Trump" are due to Trump's criminal activities. If you don't want this, then don't sexually assault women, run a fraudulent university & foundation, commit and support insurrection, steal & share classified documents & falsify financials," another user stated.

Another user wrote, "This dude is a clown!! scripted."

"But Vivek would be happy to be the VP for that "wounded" nominee," one user said.

Another X user remarked, "I’m all for the younger generation stepping up and fulfilling the call to government. But is Vivek your best choice?"

A user tweeted, "Why are you giving that shill any airtime?"

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.