On Saturday, former US president Donald Trump unleashed his first and fiercest criticism of his GOP opponent Vivek Ramaswamy on Truth Social, accusing him of being a fake supporter and a traitor to the MAGA movement.
Trump campaign advisers quoted to CNN that Ramaswamy’s campaign tactics have been irritating Trump and his team for a while, as they perceive them as dishonest and disrespectful.
The former president wrote on his social media platform, “Vivek started his campaign as a great supporter, ‘the best President in generations,’ etc. Unfortunately, now all he does is disguise his support in the form of deceitful campaign tricks.” He warned his followers not to fall for Ramaswamy’s deception and urged them to vote for him instead.
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‘Don’t get duped by’ Ramaswamy: Trump adviser
“Very sly, but a vote for Vivek is a vote for the ‘other side’ — don’t get duped by this. Vote for ‘TRUMP, don’t waste your vote! Vivek is not MAGA. The Biden Indictments against his Political Opponent will never be allowed in this Country, they are already beginning to fall! MAGA!!!”
This attack was triggered by a series of remarks and posts by Ramaswamy that angered Trump and his team, according to Trump’s advisers.
The Indian-American presidential hopeful, who had previously avoided criticizing Trump and often complimented him on the campaign trail, posted a photo on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday with supporters wearing “Save Trump, vote Vivek” T-shirts, which featured Trump’s mug shot from his arrest in Georgia in August.
Trump was infuriated by the post
Trump and his campaign were also displeased with an interview Ramaswamy gave to NBC News and The Des Moines Register earlier this month, in which he repeatedly called Trump “wounded.”
The biotech entrepreneur claimed that he had an advantage over Trump because he did not have the same legal and political baggage.
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“They don’t have on me what they have on him,” Ramaswamy said.
CNN reported that Ramaswamy’s subtle jabs at Trump did not go unnoticed. “He’s been making slights at the former president, and we have noticed,” the Trump adviser said. “If you poke the bear, the bear will bite back.”
Trump’s team also maintained that they were not worried about Ramaswamy’s popularity in Iowa.