Former President Donald Trump praised one of his 2024 Republican rivals in an interview this week. The former president singled out businessman Vivek Ramaswamy while speaking to Glenn Beck, raising speculation of what role he could play in a potential second Trump White House.
Trump complimented his primary opponent during an interview with Beck on Tuesday. When asked about the prospect of Ramaswamy serving as vice president, Trump said that he would be “very good.”
Trump also called him a “smart” and “young guy” with “a lot of talent.”
Trump on Vivek for VP — I think He’s Great 👀
Trump said he’d be watching the debate for a VP & if he would pick Vivek Ramaswamy.
“Well, I think he’s great… look anybody that says I’m the best president in a generation…> I have to like a guy like that, you know, I can’t get… pic.twitter.com/0RvD2mSkCM
— UltraMJTruth (@MJTruthUltra) August 29, 2023
“He’s a very, very, very intelligent person. He’s got good energy, and he could be some form of something, I tell you,” the former president said.
Trump also warned Ramaswamy that he was “starting to get out there a little bit” and that he was “getting a little bit controversial.”
Ramaswamy received considerable attention during last Wednesday’s first official Republican primary debate, especially for his spirited defense of the former president. He has also committed to pardoning Trump if he is convicted and would support him in the 2024 campaign even if the former president is sentenced to prison.
For his part, Ramaswamy said earlier this month that he was not interested in being a vice presidential candidate or serving in a presidential cabinet. He told Fox News that he shared a common trait with Donald Trump, that “neither of us does well in a number two position.”
Ramaswamy said that he was “built to actually lead the organizations that I’ve built. And I think that when I’m looking at the federal government, my greatest contribution, and one of my goals being to reunite this country, I’m going to be in the best position to get that done if I’m doing it from the top job.”
He said that he was “not interested in a different position in the government.” Ramaswamy told Fox’s Neil Cavuto that he would rather return to the private sector “sooner than becoming a number two or a number three in the federal government. That’s not about ego.”
When asked point-blank about turning down a vice presidential slot, Ramaswamy said, “I am.”
