When Vivek Ramaswamy strutted on to the stage at the Republican primary debate, most Americans watching at home had never heard of him. Alongside such political stalwarts as former vice president Mike Pence and the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, this 38-year-old tech bro was an unknown entity.
But he has rapidly become the runaway star of the Republican contest, attracting media attention for making outlandish and conspiratorial statements. He has suggested using Ukraine as a bargaining chip with Vladimir Putin, threatened to eliminate the FBI if he became president, and even questioned whether federal agents were involved in 9/11. He also has a tendancy to break into Eminem raps while on campaign stops. His latest rendition of Lose Yourself at an Iowa event so infuriated the rapper that he issued a request for Ramaswamy to stop using his music. Ramaswamy complied with the request, telling the press: “To the American people’s chagrin, we will have to leave the rapping to the real Slim Shady.”
