Highlights:
- Donald Trump formally endorses Vivek Ramaswamy for Ohio governor ahead of the 2026 elections.
- Trump calls Ramaswamy “young, strong, and smart” with a deep love for the country.
- Ramaswamy previously ran for president in 2024 and allied closely with Trump.
- Policy priorities include tax cuts, border security, and manufacturing expansion.
- Ramaswamy secured the Ohio GOP endorsement earlier with support from Trump Jr.
President Donald Trump has endorsed entrepreneur and one-time Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy in the Ohio Governor race, giving him what Republicans consider one of the most influential political boosts in American conservative politics. The endorsement comes ahead of the 2026 statewide elections, at a moment when the Republican field in Ohio is in transition due to term limits that bar current incumbents from running again.
In a post shared on his Truth Social platform, Trump lauded Ramaswamy’s “intelligence, strength, and devotion to the country,” calling him “something special” and a rising leader within the Republican Party. Trump noted his familiarity with Ramaswamy during the 2024 presidential primary race, remarking that despite being competitors at the time, the two developed a strong rapport centered on shared political values and a similar worldview about the direction of the country.
“Vivek Ramaswamy is running for Governor of the Great State of Ohio, a place I love and won big three times,” Trump wrote, referencing his victories among Ohio voters in 2016, 2020, and 2024. “He is young, strong, and smart. I know Vivek well, competed against him, and he is something SPECIAL. He truly loves our country.”
The former President went further to outline a number of policy priorities he believes Ramaswamy will advance if elected. These include cutting taxes, promoting domestic manufacturing under the “Made in the USA” banner, strengthening border security, and defending Second Amendment gun rights. Trump added that Ramaswamy would be a leader who “will never let the people of Ohio down.”
Ramaswamy, 39, is a multi-millionaire biotech entrepreneur, author, and vocal conservative commentator who gained national attention during the 2024 Republican presidential primaries. While his own White House bid ended in January, he quickly became known as one of Trump’s most vocal allies, especially on issues of government restructuring and political messaging. Since then, he has also been involved in co-leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) alongside business magnate Elon Musk, an initiative aimed at streamlining federal processes.
Born in Cincinnati to Indian immigrant parents, Ramaswamy has frequently highlighted his Ohio roots in his public speeches. His campaign for Governor secured the official endorsement of the Ohio Republican Party earlier this year after weeks of internal deliberations and a late push from Donald Trump Jr. urging party members to unify behind him.
With Trump’s endorsement now in place, political analysts note that Ramaswamy enters the 2026 race with significant backing from both the state’s Republican establishment and the broader national conservative base. The endorsement signals not only Trump’s continued influence in GOP electoral dynamics, but also the growing role of second-generation Indian Americans in US political leadership.
