Vivek Ramaswamy 2024 presidential campaign

In May 2023, Forbes reported Ramaswamy had paid an editor to alter his Wikipedia page to appear more favorable to political conservatives before announcing his campaign.[8] The paid editor removed references to his involvement with the Ohio COVID-19 Response Team and his Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans postgraduate fellowship (other editors later restored the removed content, citing the report).[8][9] Paul and Daisy Soros are respectively the elder brother and sister-in-law of businessman and social activist George Soros, who has been the subject of numerous right-wing conspiracy theories.[10]

Ramaswamy's campaign confirmed that it had paid an editor, but denied it was trying to "scrub" his Wikipedia page. A campaign spokesperson said the edits were revisions of "factual distortions" and blamed a Ron DeSantis-aligned super PAC for amplifying the story.[9]

While some candidates have been openly critical of Donald Trump throughout his ongoing legal battles,[18][19][20] Ramaswamy has defended Trump unabashedly as part of a campaign strategy.[21] When interviewed, he called Trump's indictment in The People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump "a national disaster."[22] Regarding the 2023 jury verdict against Trump for sexual abuse in E. Jean Carroll vs. Donald J. Trump, his position was "this seems like just another part of the establishment’s anaphylactic response".[23]

During his campaign announcement, Ramaswamy stated that America needed a “total decoupling” from China. He has described the Chinese government as a "great existential threat" and argues China now represents a more significant threat to the sovereignty of United States than the Soviet Union had during the Cold War as America has found itself in an "economic codependent relationship" with a hostile government.[24][13]

Ramaswamy also argued that America has become too economically reliant on China through being "addicted" to cheap goods and that economic separation from China would not be easy, but “some sacrifice of short-term conveniences” would be necessary for the long-term goal of reducing economic dependence on China.[25] He has called for putting guns in "every Taiwanese household" in order to deter China from invading.[26]

Ramaswamy argues that "foreign policy is all about prioritization" and that good use of the US military is "protecting American soil and American interests, not a pointless war somewhere else."[25]

Ramaswamy argues that the United States should use the military to directly take on Mexican drug cartels and “end the fentanyl epidemic in this country." He has furthermore stated "We can do it to Bin Laden, we can do it to Soleimani, we can do it to the Mexican drug cartels south of the border."[27]

Ramaswamy has expressed opposition to affirmative action and has proposed rescinding Lyndon B. Johnson’s Executive Order 11246.[28]

Ramaswamy has stated that if elected president he would fight government pressures on technology companies to censor disfavored political speech. He said “As Elon Musk did at Twitter, I will release the ‘state action files’ from the federal government—publicly exposing every known instance in which bureaucrats have wrongfully pressured companies to take constitutionally prohibited actions.” He also wrote "If you can’t fire someone for being black, gay or Muslim, you shouldn’t be able to fire someone for his political speech.”[28][29]

Ramaswamy calls for a merit-based system of immigration and supports scrapping lottery-based immigration such as the Diversity Immigrant Visa. He also states America must "unapologetically" secure the southern border against illegal immigration.[30]

Ramaswamy has indicated that he favors raising the voting age to 25 in most circumstances. The policy change, which would have to be done through a constitutional amendment, would only allow for citizens between 18 and 24 to vote if they are enlisted in the military, work as first-responder personnel, or pass a civics test.[31]

Ramaswamy argues for eight-year limits for all unelected federal bureaucrats, similar to term limits imposed on US presidents.[28] He has also identified ten federal agencies that he would abolish, including the Department of Education.[27]

Ramaswamy has indicated that he favors the abolition of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).[32]