Vivek Ramaswamy Encounters a Conspiracy Theory That Even He Rejects
The ex-presidential candidate hosted a town hall event attended by over 300 individuals in Springfield, Ohio.
TroibNews 
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — Shortly before an individual carrying an AR-15 walked by City Hall, Vivek Ramaswamy engaged in an uncharacteristically reserved manner.
Recognized for his frequent endorsement of various conspiracy theories during his presidential campaign, Ramaswamy's responses in Springfield seemed more circumspect. Despite past assertions ranging from labeling the Capitol riots of January 6, 2021, as an "inside job" to questioning the official accounts of 9/11, he chose not to directly address Donald Trump's unsupported allegations regarding Haitian migrants in Springfield.
Speaking with reporters, then at a town hall, and later in an interview with PMG, Ramaswamy avoided commenting directly on the claims that Haitian migrants were responsible for the disappearance and consumption of local pets and wildlife.
“I think the reality is, whether residents of this community are lying or not, that's, I think, for other people to adjudicate,” he stated as the armed man loitered nearby and security concerns altered his team's plans. “But I do think that residents of this community have been raising their hand pleading for help and have not gotten attention at the federal level. And yet that's sad, because this is an embodiment of, I think, failed federal policies.”
His approach appeared to be a strategic pivot from his prior readiness to embrace and amplify controversial theories, reflecting a broader trend among Republicans aiming to support yet not overtly endorse Trump's latest claims about Springfield.
Ramaswamy, who has had a successful career as a biotech entrepreneur and who is considered a potential candidate for important political roles should Trump win future elections, appears to be navigating a complex political landscape. He still needs to maintain credibility in Ohio, where significant Republican figures, including Governor Mike DeWine, have dismissed Trump’s migrant stories as false.
In Springfield, Ramaswamy reminisced about his local ties and outlined his position on not directly confronting Trump about the migrant claims, instead focusing on other pressing human concerns.
“I'm not here to talk about the issues that the media has really loved to obsess over — OK? — cats and dogs. We're not talking about that time. We're talking about human beings,” he suggested subtly deflecting from Trump and Vance’s provocations.
When challenged by PMG on his selective avoidance of certain baseless allegations, Ramaswamy acknowledged his history with conspiracy theories yet refrained from aligning with the recent claims promoted by Trump.
“I've propagated all kinds of conspiracy theories in the last several years, including the idea that Covid came from a lab in China, including that the Hunter Biden laptop story just might be real on the eve of the last election, including the fact that Joe Biden would not be the nominee,” he explained. “I said that from the Republican debate stage and got criticized as a conspiracy theorist for it. So on multiple of those counts, you know, I guess, if that's a label that describes me speaking things that ended up being true before others recognize them, I guess I'll have to accept that.”
His town hall appearance revealed his popularity and hinted at potential future political ambitions when probed about running for governor.
“I'm a little more inclined than I was about 10 seconds ago,” he remarked to an enthusiastic audience.
However, while the town hall mostly skirted the contentious issue of missing pets, it underscored local grievances and briefly touched upon related concerns presented by attendees.
It displayed Ramaswamy’s careful balancing act between supporting controversial figures and maintaining his political viability within his home state.
Alejandro Jose Martinez for TROIB News
Recognized for his frequent endorsement of various conspiracy theories during his presidential campaign, Ramaswamy's responses in Springfield seemed more circumspect. Despite past assertions ranging from labeling the Capitol riots of January 6, 2021, as an "inside job" to questioning the official accounts of 9/11, he chose not to directly address Donald Trump's unsupported allegations regarding Haitian migrants in Springfield.
Speaking with reporters, then at a town hall, and later in an interview with PMG, Ramaswamy avoided commenting directly on the claims that Haitian migrants were responsible for the disappearance and consumption of local pets and wildlife.
“I think the reality is, whether residents of this community are lying or not, that's, I think, for other people to adjudicate,” he stated as the armed man loitered nearby and security concerns altered his team's plans. “But I do think that residents of this community have been raising their hand pleading for help and have not gotten attention at the federal level. And yet that's sad, because this is an embodiment of, I think, failed federal policies.”
His approach appeared to be a strategic pivot from his prior readiness to embrace and amplify controversial theories, reflecting a broader trend among Republicans aiming to support yet not overtly endorse Trump's latest claims about Springfield.
Ramaswamy, who has had a successful career as a biotech entrepreneur and who is considered a potential candidate for important political roles should Trump win future elections, appears to be navigating a complex political landscape. He still needs to maintain credibility in Ohio, where significant Republican figures, including Governor Mike DeWine, have dismissed Trump’s migrant stories as false.
In Springfield, Ramaswamy reminisced about his local ties and outlined his position on not directly confronting Trump about the migrant claims, instead focusing on other pressing human concerns.
“I'm not here to talk about the issues that the media has really loved to obsess over — OK? — cats and dogs. We're not talking about that time. We're talking about human beings,” he suggested subtly deflecting from Trump and Vance’s provocations.
When challenged by PMG on his selective avoidance of certain baseless allegations, Ramaswamy acknowledged his history with conspiracy theories yet refrained from aligning with the recent claims promoted by Trump.
“I've propagated all kinds of conspiracy theories in the last several years, including the idea that Covid came from a lab in China, including that the Hunter Biden laptop story just might be real on the eve of the last election, including the fact that Joe Biden would not be the nominee,” he explained. “I said that from the Republican debate stage and got criticized as a conspiracy theorist for it. So on multiple of those counts, you know, I guess, if that's a label that describes me speaking things that ended up being true before others recognize them, I guess I'll have to accept that.”
His town hall appearance revealed his popularity and hinted at potential future political ambitions when probed about running for governor.
“I'm a little more inclined than I was about 10 seconds ago,” he remarked to an enthusiastic audience.
However, while the town hall mostly skirted the contentious issue of missing pets, it underscored local grievances and briefly touched upon related concerns presented by attendees.
It displayed Ramaswamy’s careful balancing act between supporting controversial figures and maintaining his political viability within his home state.
Alejandro Jose Martinez for TROIB News
