Internet asks if Vivek Ramaswamy is 'Mr VP' as Donald Trump declares him winner of fourth GOP debate

MIAMI, FLORIDA: Former President Donald Trump shared his views on the recent Republican primary debate, criticizing rivals and ultimately declaring entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy the winner in a post on Truth Social early Saturday morning, December 9.

The fourth GOP debate took place on December 6 in Alabama with contenders being Ramaswamy, former Governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

Donald Trump comments on fourth GOP debate

Trump did not mince words in his assessment, stating, “So many people are asking what I thought of history’s lowest-rated ‘presidential’ debate, & how would I rate the players. It’s so easy to be a critic, but who on this subject would be better than me.”

In his Truth Social post, he continued, “To begin with, I thought Ron DeSanctimonious was terrible, with his bobble head facial movements & his walking on eggs, but that Sloppy Chris Christie was worse.”

Quoting the former Governor of New Jersey, he wrote, “He’s not fit, mentally or physically, to be President,” adding, “He suffers from TDS, or Trump Derangement Syndrome, at levels not seen before.”

He then referred to to the former New Jersey governor as a “sick puppy” and mocked his dismal poll numbers.

The former president also didn't spare former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, asserting that his campaign is "dead." “But so is Ron, whose weird bobbing head and fresh mouth, make his high heels look good — He’s walking on eggs!" Trump continued.

He also shared his thoughts on former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, quipping, "Birdbrain looked different & lost, but I give her second place."

He reserved high praise for Vivek Ramaswamy, declaring him the winner because "he thinks I'm great."

Internet gives mixed reactions as Donald Trump declares Vivek Ramaswamy winner

Social media buzzed with reactions and speculations on whether Ramaswamy could secure Trump's running mate spot.

"Mr VP?" one asked on X (formerly Twitter), wondering whether Ramaswamy would secure the spot if Trump wins.

"So According to trump he won cause he sucked up to trump the most. Lol," another wrote, clearly unhappy with the response.

"The only person in the continental United States who is more obnoxious than Trump!" a comment slammed Ramaswamy. "He did win that debate," someone else conceded.

"Vivek talks about topics the other clowns refuse," another agreed.

Trump also took a swipe at debate moderator Megyn Kelly, labeling her “the biggest loser” of the event and remarking, “What the hell happened to her? She has lost whatever she once had, which wasn’t very much. Some things never change!”

Mixed reactions to Ramaswamy’s debate performance

Apart from Despite Trump's endorsement, Ramaswamy faced scrutiny from others over his performance in the debate. The entrepreneur had labeled Haley a "fascist" and criticized Christie's foreign policy experience.

Republican strategist Scott Jennings noted that Ramaswamy's attempt to emulate Trump's style did not resonate well, pointing out the absence of Trump's "personal warmth and humor."

“Most of the people do not like the below-the-belt punches,” Jennings said, as quoted by The Hill. “You know, too-cute-by-a-half rhetorical. You know, sneak attacks — whatever you want to call it. They just think it’s out of bounds, especially coming from him.”

“Trump’s brand and image were so strong on the front end, that it gave him the latitude and credibility to engage with his opponents in some of the ways Vivek is — it’s just he doesn’t bring that to the race,” Jennings added.

In response to the criticism, Tricia McLaughlin, senior advisor for Ramaswamy's campaign, defended him, stating, “I think that if people actually saw Vivek on the campaign trail, which we put out tons of footage, it shows Vivek’s warm. Vivek is gonna speak his convictions no matter what, and some people are gonna like it, and some people are gonna hate it.”

The GOP primary debate, hosted by NewsNation and sanctioned by the Republican National Committee, took place in Tuscaloosa, Ala. However, the committee announced on Friday that they would not sponsor debates in 2024, freeing candidates to participate in other forums. NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill.

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.