Vivek Ramaswamy stands out as an unlikely presidential candidate: a 38-year-old billionaire entrepreneur and Harvard and Yale grad, son of Indian immigrants and self-professed nationalist. One of his strongest voices against “woke culture”, cancel culture and corporate elite that undermine the American ideals of free speech, meritocracy, and the rule of law.
Ramaswamy began his unlikely White House bid in February 2023 and has participated in all four Republican primary debates hosted by NewsNation. To fund his bid, he has contributed his own $15 million, according to federal election records. Furthermore, Ramaswamy published Woke, Inc. – an expose on how “woke ideology” permeates every aspect of American society – which he claims can only cause harm and must be combatted at every opportunity.
A nationalist with a vision
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Ramaswamy believes he is running for president to revive a lost national identity and sense of civic pride among future generations. To do this, he asserts, America must embrace and advance its founding ideals of liberty, equality and justice; rejecting diversity as being its strength while advocating instead that society focus more on human identity than race and sexual orientation – something he sees happening now in society at large.
“Maybe you would consider me a nationalist,” he admitted in an interview with The NPR Politics Podcast. “That is a label I am happy to wear; nationalism needn’t be something negative; as long as its core ideals serve the greater good, then that can actually unite us as a country.”
Ramaswamy supports the “America First” agenda championed by former President Donald Trump and current Republican front-runner, Ted Cruz. Ramaswamy believes in ending our dependence on China, securing our borders, rebuilding military forces and renegotiating trade deals – including advocating military action to take out Mexican drug cartels.
A conservative with a twist
Ramaswamy stands out as an unconventional conservative. A Hindu, he often stresses “Judeo-Christian values” as the foundation of American culture. A pro-life advocate who also supports stem cell research and medical marijuana. Additionally, he criticizes big tech while looking to invest in innovation and entrepreneurship; finally defending free markets while looking to regulate Wall Street and break up monopolies are just some of his credentials.
Ramaswamy recently unveiled his list of foundational beliefs via social media, covering matters such as faith, family and patriotism. Some of his commandments include:
- I believe in God and our rights come from him alone, not from government.
- Additionally, I hold that men and women have different values, that gender is a social construct and should not be seen as such a force of difference between us.
- I believe capitalism to be the ideal economic system ever devised, yet must be balanced with morality and the rule of law.
- Furthermore, I firmly believe America to be the greatest nation on Earth, with an obligation to defend it from both internal and external enemies.
A long shot with a chance
Ramaswamy faces an uphill climb in his pursuit of the presidency. Competing against more established and popular candidates like Donald Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is no easy feat, especially when most voters remain unaware of who he is – not to mention dealing with hostile mainstream media coverage and political establishment.
Ramaswamy remains undeterred by these challenges, believing he has a compelling story and vision that can reach across a broad spectrum of Americans who are fed up with status quo politics and ready for change. He states he has experienced all facets of American dream while living through it, which makes his motivation for protecting it even stronger.
“My motivations in running for president stem not from building my career but from seeing a need in our nation that few others are fulfilling,” he explained. “That’s why I am running: to show that my vision of citizenship echoes throughout this country.”
Vivek Ramaswamy is a billionaire entrepreneur, a son of immigrants, and a nationalist who wants to be the next president of the United States. He challenges the “woke culture” that he believes threatens the American values of free speech, meritocracy, and the rule of law. He advocates for a strong and independent America that embraces its founding ideals and rejects identity politics. He is an unconventional conservative who combines faith, family, and patriotism with innovation, entrepreneurship, and morality. He faces a tough competition from more popular and experienced candidates, but he hopes to win over the voters with his unique story and vision.
