 "Donald Trump. Reuters file")
US President Donald Trump on Friday (November 7, 2025) formally endorsed Indian-origin leader Vivek Ramaswamy in the Ohio governor’s race, calling him “something special.” Acknowledging that he once ran against Ramaswamy in the Republican presidential primaries, Trump said he would be a “GREAT Governor of Ohio.” Declaring his “Complete and Total Endorsement,” Trump added that Ramaswamy “will never let you down.”
Trump’s endorsement came even as some MAGA supporters have been calling for Ramaswamy to lose.
In a Truth Social post, Trump praised Ramaswamy’s intelligence, strength, and conservative values, describing him as someone who “truly loves our country.” He wrote, “Vivek Ramaswamy is running for Governor of the Great State of Ohio, a place I love and won big three times—in 2016, 2020, and 2024. He will be a GREAT Governor of Ohio, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement—HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”
Praising the 39-year-old former presidential candidate’s leadership, Trump wrote, “As your next Governor, Vivek will fight tirelessly to grow the economy, cut taxes and regulations, promote Made in the U.S.A., champion American energy dominance, keep our now very secure borders secure, stop migrant crime, strengthen our military and veterans, ensure law and order, advance election integrity, and protect our always under siege Second Amendment.”
The endorsement came soon after Ohio voters cast their ballots for the 2026 governor’s race. Ramaswamy, a Cincinnati native and former co-chair of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency initiative, had earlier secured the Ohio Republican Party’s endorsement in May. The decision followed weeks of lobbying and a last-minute push from Donald Trump Jr. on X urging members to support him.
Quick Reads
View AllBorn in 1985 to Indian immigrant parents, Ramaswamy is an entrepreneur, author, and politician who ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024 on a platform of nationalism, anti-“woke” politics, and limited government. After dropping out, he endorsed Trump and became one of his most vocal allies. He is also the author of Woke, Inc. and Nation of Victims, books that critique corporate activism and identity politics.
MAGA backlash
Despite Trump’s backing, some MAGA supporters have expressed frustration with Ramaswamy after recent Republican losses in New York, New Jersey, and Virginia. The backlash intensified following a poll suggesting Democratic candidate Amy Acton is leading in Ohio. Critics accused Ramaswamy of turning away GOP voters after he said the party must “shun identity politics if they don’t want to lose voters.”
“Vivek must lose. If Republicans don’t want to lose, they should run someone else right now,” one supporter wrote on social media. “This race is not Republican vs Democrat, but a referendum on whether being an American is just a piece of paper. It’s a line in the sand.”