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Ramaswamy outlines his policy differences with Trump

Republican presidential candidate, Vivek Ramaswamy talks to members of the media in the spin room following the first debate of the GOP primary season hosted by FOX News at the Fiserv Forum on August 23, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Eight presidential hopefuls squared off in the first Republican debate as former U.S. President Donald Trump, currently facing indictments in four locations, declined to participate in the event. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

GOP presidential candidate and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy talked about his policy differences with former President Trump in an interview Thursday.

“I think we’re deeply aligned on policy, 90-plus percent of the way,” Ramaswamy said on Fox News. “There are some small differences. I would rescind affirmative action. I would militarize the southern border instead of just building the wall. I would shut down the U.S. Department of Education, not just put a good person, [former Education Secretary] Betsy DeVos, on top to reform it.”

Ramaswamy has effusively praised Trump throughout his campaign, promising to pardon the former president of any potential convictions on his first day in the White House. Fox News hosts pressed Ramaswamy on whether there was any daylight between him and Trump.

“We have some of our areas of differences, but they are small,” Ramaswamy said, adding he and Trump were “the two ‘America-first’ candidates” in the race.

“I think we have an opportunity to reunite this country around our shared ideals, and that will allow me to take the America First agenda even further than Donald Trump did, by building on what I think is a very good foundation that he laid,” he added.


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“And so the fact that I’m not running against him, that doesn’t mean anything. I’m running for this country.”

Trump has praised Ramaswamy as well, saying he’d be a “very good” vice president. In an interview with Glenn Beck on his show on Blaze TV, Trump said he has “good energy.”

“He’s a smart guy. He’s a young guy. He’s got a lot of talent. He’s a very, very, very intelligent person,” Trump said.