Trump Predicts Ramaswamy Will Endorse Him–But Not Quite Yet

Former President Donald Trump attends the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 287 mixed martial arts event at the Kaseya Center in Miami on April 8, 2023. Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump predicted Wednesday that he will—eventually—get an endorsement from Vivek Ramaswamy, a fellow contender for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination who has defended the former president from what he’s described as attacks by a “weaponized” judiciary.

President Trump made the prediction in a post on social media, in which he shared an article revealing that Mr. Ramaswamy’s campaign had stopped spending money on TV ads before the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary.

“He will, I am sure, Endorse me,” President Trump wrote. “But Vivek is a good man, and is not done yet!”

While the biotech entrepreneur has expressed confidence about his performance in the upcoming Iowa caucus, multiple polls show President Trump continues to outpace all his rivals by a wide margin.

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy speaks at a CNN Town Hall at Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa, on Dec. 13, 2023. Screenshot/CNN

Ramaswamy Stops TV Ad Spending

Mr. Ramaswamy’s campaign has stopped spending money on television ads—which normally make up the majority of political advertising in the United States—with just weeks to go until the Jan. 15 Iowa caucuses and the Jan. 23 New Hampshire primary.

A spokesperson for Mr. Ramaswamy’s campaign confirmed to some media outlets that TV ads are being dropped in favor of a different strategy—namely targeted advertising such as email and text messages, as well as old-fashioned door-knocks.

Mr. Ramaswamy wrote on X that presidential TV ad spending is “idiotic” and a “trick that political consultants use to bamboozle candidates who suffer from low IQ.”

“We’re doing it differently. Spending $$ in a way that follows data…apparently a crazy idea in US politics,” Mr. Ramaswamy wrote, adding that presidential TV ad spending delivers a low return on investment.

“Big surprise coming on Jan 15,” he added, presumably referring to his expectations for a strong performance at the Jan. 15 Iowa caucuses. Several weeks ago, Mr. Ramaswamy told reporters to “stay tuned” when asked how his campaign plans to raise momentum. Then, on Dec. 24, he told Fox News’s “Sunday Morning Futures” that he is “confident we’re going to overdeliver massively at the Iowa caucus.”

Currently, Mr. Ramaswamy is polling in fourth place with 4 percent support of likely Republican voters, according to the RealClearPolitics polling average of the Republican Primary.

President Trump maintains a strong lead, at 62.5 percent followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 11.3 percent and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley at 11 percent.

Meanwhile, as the campaign schedule moves forward, there’s been increased speculation around a possible running mate for President Trump if he manages to secure the Republican nomination.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks during an event following his arraignment on classified document charges, at Trump National Golf Club, in Bedminster, N.J., on June 13, 2023. Amr Alfiky/Reuters

VP Chatter

Talk of a possible Trump running mate has increased in recent days, though the former president himself has kept his running-mate choice under wraps.

President Trump said in September that he liked the idea of a woman serving as his vice president if elected to the Oval Office in 2024, though he was quick to note that it’s a bad idea to make gender a decisive factor.

“Are you leaning toward a woman?” NBC “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker asked President Trump in a mid-September interview.

“I like the concept, but we’re going to pick the best person,” President Trump replied. “But I do like the concept, yes.”

Rumors have long swirled that President Trump was considering a woman as his running mate in order to court the female suburban vote that some strategists believe would be key to beating President Joe Biden.

Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon said he thinks a woman is destined for the role.

“I believe that President Trump will have a female” as his VP, said Mr. Bannon, speaking with ex-Trump press secretary Sean Spicer during a Dec. 15 podcast.

But there’s been speculation about other potential VP picks, including Mr. Ramaswamy, who has downplayed that possibility.

Mr. Ramaswamy said in an appearance on Fox News’s “Sunday Morning Futures” that he was focusing on his presidential campaign and said he’s not a “plan B” type of guy.

“I think that I’m not a plan B person,” Mr. Ramaswamy said. “I didn’t get to where I am—I’m 38 years old, I’ve found multiple multi-billion dollar companies, we’re blessed with the American dream to be able to self-fiance and lift this campaign up.”

“So I’m actually confident we’re going to overdeliver massively at the Iowa caucus,” Mr. Ramaswamy said.

In August, President Trump indicated that he was open to the idea of having Mr. Ramaswamy as a potential vice president.

Also in August, Mr. Ramaswamy praised the former president as “the best president of the 21st century,” during the first GOP presidential debate in Milwaukee.

“I respect Trump and his accomplishments for this country,” he said. “Unlike a lot of the other candidates, I’m not sitting here Monday morning quarterbacking some decision he made.”

Frank Fang and Katabella Roberts contributed to this report.