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Vivek RamaswamyBorn in 1985, Vivek Ganapathy Ramaswamy is an American entrepreneur and founder of a pharmaceutical company Roivant Sciences. He lives in Ohio.
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Military Assistance to Ukraine
Ramaswamy is opposed to increased military assistance to Ukraine. He has stated that it is not a priority.
"I'm absolutely unpersuaded and I'm actually enjoying watching the Ukraine Hawks quietly, delicately, tiptoe back from their position as this thing has unwound into a disaster. In the first half of this race, I was the only person standing for it. Now they're actually quietly coming around to being more cautious as they should level with the American people. Here Ukraine is not a paragon of democracy. This is a country that has banned 11 opposition parties. It has consolidated all media into one state TV media arm - that's not democratic. It has threatened not to hold elections this year unless the US forks over more money - that is not democratic. It has celebrated a Nazi in its ranks. The comedian and cargo pant a man called Zelenksyy doing it in their own ranks - that is not Democratic. More facts for you that you won't hear from the mainstream in either party or the mainstream media - the region of Ukraine that are occupied by Russia right now in the Donbas, Luhansk, Donetsk, these are Russians speaking regions that have not even been part of Ukraine since 2014 that other people probably couldn't name those provinces for you. Those are the hard facts. And so to frame this as some kind of battle between good versus evil, don't buy it and I'd like the likes of the the sharpest of the warhawks on Ukraine."
"I would end the war in Ukraine and Russia. It's not that I would just stop defunding it I would negotiate a deal... I would negotiate is freeze the current lines of control, make a hard commitment that NATO will not admit Ukraine to NATO, but in return pull Russia out of its military alliance with China. That's actually the top threat that we would face is a Russia China Alliance and we're driving Russia further into China's arms. That's also how we deter China for going after Taiwan without going to war over it."
Response to First Republican Presidential Debate, August 23, 2023
Question:“I would not support it.
- The US has committed nearly $77 billion in aid to the Ukraine war. The administration is now asking Congress for $24 billion more, regardless of that the specific — specifics of that plan, is there anyone on stage who would not support the increase of more funding to Ukraine?
- Mr. Ramaswamy, you would not support an increase of funding to Ukraine?
I would not. And I think that this is disastrous, that we are protecting against an invasion across somebody else’s border, when we should use those same military resources to prevent across the invasion of our own southern border here in the United States of America.
We are driving Russia further into China’s hands. The Russia-China alliance is the single greatest threat we face. And I find it offensive, that we have professional politicians on the stage that will make a pilgrimage to Kyiv, to their Pope, Zelenskyy, without doing the same thing for people in Maui or the Southside of Chicago or Kensington.
I think that we have to put the interests of Americans first. Secure our own border instead of somebody else’s. And the reality is this is also how we project strength and making America strong at home."
Arms to Israel
Ramaswamy is in favor of military support to Israel. He has also indicated a desire for Israel to no longer request U.S. aid, but instead stand on its own two feet.
"Israel was based on the idea that they don't want to depend on anybody else's sympathy or direction in defending themselves. So what I would tell BiBi is that Israel has the right and the responsibility to defend itself. I would tell him to smoke those terrorists on his Southern border and then I'll tell him as president of the United States I'll be smoking the terrorists on our Southern border. That's his responsibility, this is our responsibility. That's how we move forward."
Response at Town Hall in Iowa [43:08], October 19, 2023
"The reason I am supportive of Israel is that I am supportive of the United States of America. It's not any other independent commitment other than my commitment to this country and this homeland..
...A lot of us might find common ground where we do not want Israel to make the same mistakes that we did after 9/11 in the country responding with emotion without a plan. What is the purpose of this ground invasion in Gaza? I am very worried that this is going to repeat the kind of mistakes in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's not our business, it is a different country's business. That is a valid point unless we are asked to fund it in which case it is our business to ask those questions. That is not Anti-Israel. That is deeply Pro-Israel."
“I've said very clearly since day one and all along is that we will not cut off aid to Israel until Israel tells us they're ready for it."
"I mean this is inhumane. These are war crimes and Israel's response should be decisive as I expect that it will be. The US role here should absolutely be to stand with Israel diplomatically intelligence sharing going further and providing munitions where needed for Israel to preserve its national existence. Israel has a right to defend its borders. Israel has a right to defend its National existence and the United States should absolutely be behind Israel, as it does, while also making sure and I think this is critical, that we do not see a broader war in the Middle East that would not advance US interests. I think we can do both of those things effectively and I do think it's going to take a cool-headed rational but decisive response behind Israel to make sure the right thing happens here.”
Response to Fox News, September 17, 2023
"I've been crystal clear. And I'm disappointed in the other candidates for mischaracterizing it. I said we will defend Israel militarily in the case of conflict with Iran, but we would not want to put boots on the ground. And any other candidate who disagrees with that position, I challenge them to be clear about how many American men and women, our sons and daughters, would they send to die in another war of the Middle East. I have heard crickets in response to that question.
But the reality is, we will defend militarily. That's different than boots on the ground. And even Israel, the staunchest Israel advocates in Israel, do not have expectations of American men and women putting boots on the ground to invade another country."
"One of the other criticisms we've heard is somehow that I'm anti-israel. That's a joke. By the end of my first term our relationship with Israel is going to be stronger than it ever has been because I will treat it as a true friendship not a
client relationship. Not a transactional relationship. What does that mean? I'm going to lead diplomatically to Abraham Accords build on the pact that the Trump Administration negotiated but take it to the next level. Add Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Indonesia to the list. Work with Israel to make sure that Iran never ever acquires nuclear capabilities. That's in the U.S interest that's why I stand for it. I also want to have Bibi over to the White House have a strong relationship with him in a way that it seems Biden can't quite do. I also want to learn from Israel. This is what good friends do for me, do with each other.
...The truth of the matter is I want Israel's tough border policies, tough on crime policies, strong national identity, missile defense system. I want to learn from those policies because I would love to have them here in the United States. That's how true friends do it not just by checking a box and reading standard talking points from a binder. I am not a professional politician who reads from that standard binder given to every Republican politician. No, I'm a patriot who speaks the truth. As the next president I will stand for the interests of the United States of America, not any other country."
"We will not stop Israel from defending itself to the fullest capacity and we remain supportive of Israel because they are our friend. I think it's really important that the U.S not put our own men and women on the line in war with Iran when in fact there's no reason for us to be in that kind of war. Now and I don't think that's good for the United States and I don't think that's good for Israel. But what we do need to do is to make sure that Israel is strong so that Iran isn't emboldened. This is you know Ayatollah in Iran that would rather Israel not exist. Let's just call that truth out for what it is and so Israel needs to be in a strong position to defend itself and the United States will be at Israel's back. But I think that that's a very different thing from automatically sleepwalking ourself in to war. I'm an anti-war president and the way I'm going to do it is by deterring War, be it ending the war in Ukraine, be it deterring China. These are important elements of why I think it's important to be strong but in a way that doesn't accidentally walk us into wars that we don't belong in."
"There's no North Star commitment to any one country other than the United States of America. So what advances American interests. I actually do think our relationship with Israel has advanced American interests.
...Here's what I want to see happen though. I want to negotiate. I'm a deal maker. I want to negotiate now Abraham Accords 2.0. Get Saudi Oman Qatar Indonesia in there. Get Israel on its own two feet and I believe in standing by commitments that we've already made. So our commitments have I think 38 billion dollars in aid, military support, etc going in through 2028. I want to get Israel to the place where it is negotiated back into the infrastructure of the rest of the Middle East. We should not be worried about holding one nation or one region hostage over one particular question relating to Palestine. Go to Abraham Accords 2.0. That's good for Israel, it's good for the rest of the Middle East, it's good for us. Such that come 2028 that additional aid won't be necessary in order to still have the kind of stability that we'd actually have in the Middle East by having Israel more integrated in with its partners and I think that the Trump administration took a first step getting Bahrain in some other countries. I think we need Saudi. I think we need Oman, Qatar, Indonesia and others in there. Then I think that puts us in a position, it's everybody's position, to say we don't have to meddle."
Response to First Republican Presidential Debate, August 23, 2023
"Our relationship with Israel will be stronger than by the end of my first term. But it’s not a client relationship. It is a friendship. And you know what friends do? Friends help each other stand on their own two feet. So I will lead Abraham Accords 2.0. I will partner with Israel to make sure Iran never is nuclear-armed. But you know what I love about Israel? And I have been there probably in the last 10 years more than most people on this stage. You know what I love about them? I love their border policies. I love their tough-on-crime policies. I love that they have a national identity and an Iron Dome to protect their homeland. And so, yes, I want to learn from the friends that we’re supporting..."
Response to Washington Free Bacon, August 19, 2023
"If we’re successful, the true mark of success for the U.S., and for Israel, will be to get to a 2028 where Israel is so strongly standing on its own two feet, integrated into the economic and security infrastructure of the rest of the Middle East, that it will not require and be dependent on that same level of historical aid or commitment from the U.S.,"
Response to Washington Free Bacon, August 18, 2023
"The big difference is to see if the Abraham Accords 2.0 is indeed successful at getting Israel to a stronger place than it is today while relying on U.S. aid"
"If it is, then that is the best-case scenario for all; if it’s not, then the aid will continue."
Tweets on X (formerly twitter)
"Israel has an absolute right to defend itself & to pursue Israel-First policies, just as we should pursue America-First policies here. That’s consistent with the original Zionist vision & also the George Washington’s vision for America. Calls for vague US involvement without clear objectives will lead us to a no-win war that will be bad for Israel and bad for the US." (October 26, 2023)
"Others are playing silly political "gotcha" games on what to do with Gazan refugees, but here's the TRUTH: we need to admit that the U.S. has a self-created fake refugee problem that is *systemic.* You can't cure a cancer until you acknowledge its existence. As President, I will implement an asylum & refugee moratorium until our borders are fully secured and our asylum laws are updated - period. That means no refugees from Gaza or elsewhere. Gazan refugees intercepted at the border should be immediately screened for links to Hamas. If yes, they should be extradited to Israel for justice. If no, they should be returned to the last safe country they transited. This need not be complicated."
(October 18, 2023)
"The U.S. should provide Israel with diplomatic support, intelligence-sharing, and necessary munitions to defend its own homeland, while taking special care to avoid a broader regional war in the Middle East that would *not* advance U.S. interests:
1. Offer Israel robust intelligence support and stand ready to provide additional military supplies via both sale and transfer.
2. Immediately confirm an American ambassador to Israel, with the vacant embassies in Egypt, Libya, and Oman to be filled in quick succession.
3. End all further nuclear proliferation in the Middle East, including the full phase-out of Iran’s nuclear program and immediately ending Biden’s disastrous plan to share nuclear technology with Saudi Arabia.
4. Fast-track the deportation of any resident aliens who have served with Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad, including extradition to Israeli custody where appropriate.
5. Work with Israel to identify countries willing to accept peaceful Palestinians who wish to escape the pressures of Hamas and facilitate their emigration.
6. Warn the UN of consequences if its historical pattern of drawing false equivalences between Israel and the terrorists who target it continues." (October 11, 2023)
"The Hamas-led attacks on Israel were barbaric and cannot be condoned. We require a rational response that supports Israel while avoiding another U.S.-led disaster in the Middle East. I am disappointed and deeply concerned by the remarks of certain presidential candidates including Nikki Haley who have irresponsibly called the Hamas attack an “attack on America” and rabidly shout “FINISH THEM!!” repeatedly without offering a pragmatic path forward."
(October 10, 2023)
“I am appalled by the barbaric and medieval Hamas attacks. Shooting civilians and kidnapping children are war crimes. Israel’s right to exist & defend itself should never be doubted and Iran-backed Hamas & Hezbollah cannot be allowed to prevail. I stand with Israel and the U.S. should too.” (October 7, 2023)
“America’s broken foreign policy establishment knew they were funding Hamas & went ahead with it anyway. The unprecedented $6BN in ransom paid to Iran last month worsened it: our taxpayer dollars are funding Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah. This will end on Day 1 of my administration.” (October 7, 2023)
Arms to Saudi Arabia
Ramaswamy's position on this topic is unclear. He has, however, indicated he would extend the Abraham Accords to include Saudi Arabia.
I'm going to lead diplomatically to Abraham Accords build on the pact that the Trump Administration negotiated but take it to the next level. Add Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Indonesia to the list.
Response at Washington Free Beacon, August 29, 2023
"I think it would have to be part of a broader disengagement with the Middle East. So I wouldn't do it as an isolated policy. I would do it as part of also making sure that we're not leaving other people we've also propped up, from Saudi Arabia to even Iran, in other ways over the years. So it has to be part of a comprehensive strategy. That's why I'm not giving you, like, ‘this one policy, yes,’ because it has to be part of a broader comprehensive vision for disengagement. That I do support. Thank you."
Arms to Taiwan
Ramaswamy appears to be in favor of arming Taiwan. He warned Chinese President Xi Jinping against "messing with Taiwan before 2028."
Response to an interview with Huge Hewitt, August 14, 2023
"There are other elements of the Taiwan porcupine strategy up to and including putting a gun in every Taiwanese household, training them how to use them. That’s what I’m going to do, Hugh, to make sure that we don’t put ourselves in that position. China will have no reason to aggress towards Taiwan between now and the end of my first term in 2028, if we show we’re serious about it."
"Let me make it really simple for Xi Jinping’s translator, okay? Do not mess with Taiwan before 2028, before the end of my first term, okay? We are going to go to full length to make sure that you do not mess with Taiwan. We’re going to move those two Ohio-Class SSGN’s. We’re going to surface them, and we’re going to bring them to the Pacific. We’re going to bring them to even the Indian Ocean and elsewhere, okay? You’re not going to like that very much, because they’re loaded up with 150-plus Tomahawks apiece that have thousand-plus mile range. That could reach the Chinese mainland. So do not mess. But listen to the second part, too. That commitment is only as far as 2028, by which point I will have led the United States of America to achieve semiconductor independence, and we will not take the risk of war that risks Americans lives after that for some nationalistic dispute between China and Taiwan."
"And I’m being very clear: Xi Jinping should not mess with Taiwan until we have achieved semiconductor independence, until the end of my first term when I will lead us there. And after that, our commitments to Taiwan, our commitments to be willing to go to military conflict, will change after that, because that’s rationally in our self-interest. That is honest. That is true. And that is credible."
Military intervention at Mexican border
Ramaswamy's position on using force inside Mexico is unclear. He is in favor of using military force at the border.
"I hope to build a good relationship with that next president of Mexico. We'll use our own military to seal our own southern border. What we need to do is stop using our military to protect somebody else's border halfway around the world when we're short right here at home. Get serious about protecting this border."
Statement at The Vivek Show podcast, June 15, 2023
"I believe if we can't secure our southern border by other means, it is a legally, morally, and ethically justified use of US military resources to secure our southern border."
"In line with even norms like posse comitatus which says we can't use the military to law enforcement functions, that's different from using the military to actually securing literally the border itself. But there is a deeper question in our country that we sometimes side step and avoid frankly. Many conservatives do certainly. But by focusing exclusively on the border issue without addressing what our policy ought to be on immigration itself, you can say the immigration system is broken and it is, but part of the reason it is broken is that we first have to decide what our objectives are. What are we trying to achieve through immigration in the first place."
"...One of the things i hope this presidential primary season does is that we smoke out where we stand not just on the lengths that we would go to achieve border security, but also what we hope to achieve through our system of legal immigration. I think once we have identified that objective than reforming it accordingly becomes that much easier."
Arms Trade Treaty
Our research has not indicated a position on this topic.