Trump says Vivek Ramaswamy was ‘treated very unfairly’ over controversial Amy Acton ad
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump defended Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy over a controversial campaign advertisement featuring the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent, Amy Acton.
Speaking at a midterm election rally in Chillicothe on Wednesday, October 28, the 80-year-old said Ramaswamy had been "treated very unfairly” over the commercial, which features Donna Arthur criticizing her daughter and urging voters not to elect her. The advertisement has faced criticism from Democrats and members of Trump's own party, including Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, amid scrutiny of Acton’s history of childhood abuse and her estrangement from her mother.
Trump says Vivek Ramaswamy would be treated differently if he were a Democrat
At the Chillicothe rally, where he appeared alongside Ramaswamy and Republican Senator Jon Husted, Trump defended the decision to feature Arthur in the ad. The commercial shows Arthur describing her daughter as a “liar” and saying she “needs help”, while urging Ohio voters not to support her gubernatorial campaign.
“He had the mother of his opponent say that her daughter is a liar,” Trump told the crowd, adding that Arthur had said “horrible things about her own daughter.”
Trump defends Vivek Ramaswamy's ad featuring Amy Acton's estranged mother: Vivek was treated very unfairly. He had the mother of his opponent say she was a liar. And the fake news criticized him! https://t.co/E4bDIuHGIC
— FactPost (@factpostnews) October 29, 2026
Trump compared the controversy to a hypothetical situation involving his own mother, Mary MacLeod, publicly criticizing him. “If Mary MacLeod ever said, 'My son Donald is a liar and he lied about his opponent and other things', I would say the press would be getting Pulitzer Prizes if they reported it,” the president said.
“But with Vivek, 'How dare he put that information…' What's to put out? There's nothing to put out.” He continued defending the ad, asking, “How the hell is that his problem?”
Trump then accused critics of applying a double standard to the Republican candidate: “Very unfair. And if he were a Democrat, they would have gone the other way. Believe me, it's a very unfair situation. Hard to believe we win, you know.”
The advertisement has attracted particular scrutiny because Acton has said she was physically abused by her stepfather when she was 12. She has said her mother did not believe her account of the abuse, leading to their estrangement. Acton has not spoken to her mother since then.
Republicans criticize Vivek Ramaswamy's attack ad as Amy Acton calls it ‘unacceptable’
The commercial has prompted criticism from several Republicans, including DeWine, who described it as “deeply, deeply troubling.” Trump has separately attacked the Ohio governor on Truth Social, calling him a “RINO” and “disloyal” over his criticism of Ramaswamy.
The president has also previously dismissed questions about the allegations, repeatedly arguing that the advertisement has “nothing to do” with Acton’s stepfather.
Q: Amy Acton's stepfather was indicted. Now that you know all that, sir, do you change your mind about the ad? Trump: No. I don't care https://t.co/ZEGTTHwrL5
— Headquarters (@HQNewsNow) October 23, 2026
Trump also acknowledged advising Ramaswamy to keep the advertisement running. In a previous social media post, he wrote, “Who wouldn't use such an ad?” and added, “I would, it's called 'hitting pay dirt.'”
Vivek Ramaswamy put up a very powerful Ad about a mother saying that her daughter, Amy Acton, who is running for Governor of Ohio, is a liar, and much worse. The Press, in a concerted and well coordinated attack, is trying to get Vivek Ramaswamy to “take down the Ad.” Frankly, anybody whose mother spoke about a daughter in that way would normally lead to the daughter being precluded from serving in Office, let alone the Office of Governor. If my mother, the legendary Mary MacLeod Trump, said anything bad about me, the Fake News would play it up. The Dumocrats would be totally supportive, and it would go down as the Ad of the Decade — Maybe the Century! It would win Awards for Excellence in Advertising. But, because Vivek, who will be a GREAT Governor, put it out, the “Artificial” News has teamed up against him in order to damage, demean, and embarrass a Republican who is leading in the Polls. Our RINO Governor of Ohio, Mike DeWine, who I unfortunately helped get elected years ago, when he was losing by 16 points prior to my doing a Rally for him was, as usual, disloyal to the Republican Party. He strongly suggested that Vivek should, “take down the Ad.” ( TS: Oct 22 2026, 2:38 PM ET )
— Commentary Donald J. Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) October 22, 2026
Acton addressed the advertisement in an interview with Jen Psaki on 'MS NOW' on Wednesday, calling it “unacceptable.” She said she believed her mother had been “exploited” by Ramaswamy's campaign and described Ohioans as “exhausted” by the “hate and chaos and being purposefully pitted against one another.”
