In a fiery address at Turning Point USA’s annual AmericaFest event in Phoenix, pharmaceutical billionaire and GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, 38, shifted the focus from his 2024 ambitions to deliver a scathing rebuke to CNN commentator Van Jones. The pointed remarks, made amidst dwindling poll numbers, echoed Ramaswamy’s call for transparency in government affairs.
Ramaswamy’s disdain for Jones was palpable as he took the stage. “And then you get the mainstream media, you got this character Van Jones on CNN,” he asserted, prompting a moment of laughter from the audience. “Just shut the f*** up. At a certain point, just shut the f*** up, Van Jones at CNN.”
Undeterred, Ramaswamy went on to emphasize the imperative of truth in governance. “We demand a government that tells us the truth again in this country. That’s what we require. We can handle the truth. That’s what it means to be a citizen of this country.”
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This outburst came in response to comments by Jones, who, as reported by The Hill, labeled Ramaswamy an “American demagogue” and accused him of promoting the controversial “Great Replacement Theory” during the recent GOP debate. Jones vehemently criticized Ramaswamy, referring to him as a “demagogue from America” and accusing him of disseminating “Nazi propaganda.”
In a stern warning, Jones highlighted the gravity of the situation. “You’re watching the rise of an American demagogue who is a very, very despicable person,” he remarked. “And I literally, I was shaking listening to him talk because a lot of people don’t know. That is one step away from Nazi propaganda coming out of his mouth.”
Despite the controversy, Ramaswamy found support within influential circles on the far right, as reported by BBC. His discussions on conspiracy theories earned endorsements from those who saw any publicity as advantageous to their cause.
Northwestern University professor Cynthia Wang, specializing in conspiratorial ideas, commented on Ramaswamy’s tactics. “He might actually believe in these theories,” Wang said, “but there is also a benefit in using them because it helps people – his potential supporters – make sense of the world.” She further explained the allure of such rhetoric during uncertain times, noting, “Using this powerful language is very attractive for people… More rational explanations don’t have the same punch.”
