Former Rival Gives Donald Trump Fiery Endorsement Speech in New Hampshire

Vivek Ramaswamy wasted little time in hitting the campaign trail for Donald Trump.

On Tuesday night, less than 24 hours after dropping out of the Republican primary and endorsing the former president, the business tycoon was in New Hampshire giving a full-fledged and fiery speech for his former Republican rival.

Ramaswamy took the stage at a Trump gathering in Atkinson, New Hampshire, and before introducing Trump, told the crowd that the country is in a “1776 moment.”

“We’re in the middle of a war in this country. It’s not black and white. Not Democrat or Republican. Even in a deeper sense, it’s the permanent state and the everyday citizen. It’s those of us who love the United States of America and a fringe minority who hates this country and what we stand for.”

He continued, “Right now, we need a commander-in-chief who will lead us to victory in this war. This is a 1776 moment right now.”

US entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy (R) speaks as he endorses Republican presidential candidate former US President Donald Trump during a campaign event at the Atkinson Resort and Country Club in Atkinson, New Hampshire, on January 16, 2024. Donald Trump steamrolled toward New Hampshire January 16, 2024 after his crushing win in Iowa cemented him as the likely Republican presidential nominee. AFP/Getty Images

Newsweek reached out to Ramaswamy and the Trump campaign on Tuesday night via email for additional comments.

Ramaswamy also called on Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis to drop out of the presidential race and throw their support behind the front-runner Trump. He reiterated that plea to Fox News’ Jesse Waters following the New Hampshire rally.

Trump cruised to victory Monday night, winning 51 percent of the vote in the Iowa caucuses. DeSantis (21.2 percent) and Haley (19.1 percent) were a distant second and third, respectively, followed by Ramaswamy (7.7 percent).

On Tuesday night with Trump, Ramaswamy went on to list off a series of “truths” with the former president, often slightly grinning, right behind him. Ramaswamy’s list of talking points touched on a host of culture war and economic tenants.

“There are two genders in this country, period; Fossil fuels are a requirement for human prosperity … drill, frack, burn coal, embrace nuclear energy; Reverse racism is racism; An open border is not a border; Parents determine the education of their children; The nuclear family is the greatest form of governance known to mankind; Capitalism lifts us up from poverty. There are three branches of government, not four. The U.S. Constitution is the greatest guarantor of freedom in human history.”

Ramaswamy emphasized similar “America First” policies on his campaign trail, a stance that has proven popular with Trump’s supporters. The biotech entrepreneur grinned when he heard the chants of “VP, VP, VP!” by the New Hampshire crowd.

After introducing Trump, the two former opponents embraced.

“He ended up very strong. I was actually surprised when he called because he was doing well. It’s an honor to have his endorsement,” Trump said. “He’s going to be working with us, and he’ll be working with us for a long time.”

Ramaswamy’s speech was lauded by some conservative pundits. Charlie Kirk posted on X, formerly Twitter, “Vivek Ramaswamy is on FIRE as Donald Trump welcomes him to the stage in New Hampshire in his first appearance after endorsing President Trump.”

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

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