Washington:

Indian-American businessman-turned-politician Vivek Ramaswamy had predicted some eight months ago that incumbent President Joe Biden would not be the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party.

Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he decided to give up running for re-election as president of the United States and endorsed his deputy Kamala Harris to be the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party.

“Best way to predict the future: just follow the incentives. It’s shocking how precisely right you can be, right down to the exact timing,” Ramaswamy, a 38-year-old Republican, said in a social media post along with the video interview with Fox News last November, soon after Biden announced his decision.

Best way to predict the future: just follow the incentives. It’s shocking how precisely right you can be, right down to the exact timing. pic.twitter.com/Xz5CBC8XxW

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) July 21, 2024

“Yeah, all his predictions have come true,” Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk said in response. “Wish it weren’t so,” Ramaswamy responded.

Yeah, all his predictions have come true

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 21, 2024

Wish it weren’t so. https://t.co/upKkCY2iY2

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) July 21, 2024

In his interview with Fox News, Ramaswamy had said: “I think that the reality is the managerial class around Biden has lost their use for him. This has been obvious to me since last year to play out the incentives. He is not the strongest candidate they can put up. And these people, they have stopped at nothing to keep Donald J Trump out of office,” he said.

The Indian-American, who then was the Republican presidential candidate in the primaries along with former president Donald Trump, said that two candidates – Kamala Harris and Michelle Obama – were possibly to be picked by the Democrats.

“Let’s give credit where credit is due. For almost a year one man has been saying “Biden won’t be the Democratic nominee” and predicting a last-minute blindside. People called him crazy,” Tristane Tate, a social media influencer, said, applauding Ramaswamy for his prediction coming true. Ramaswamy had made a similar prediction during one of the Republican presidential debates.

He also posted a compilation of videos of his predictions and said, “The anatomy of how a “conspiracy theory” became reality, in just 18 months.” 

The anatomy of how a “conspiracy theory” became reality, in just 18 months. pic.twitter.com/yU4wlnJ6oK

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) July 21, 2024

“‘I remember corporate media reporters sneering and laughing when Vivek Ramaswamy made this point in the debate. They’re not laughing now!” Raheem Kassam, a journalist, said on X.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Washington:

Indian-origin Republican leader Vivek Ramaswamy, during the Republican National Convention, stressed the ‘American Dream’ and called on people to shed all forms of fear and be free to speak up their minds.

He said that this ‘American Dream’ won US the American Revolution, two world wars, and the Cold War, and if that can be revived again, not a nation, not a virus, or China can defeat the US.

He was addressing the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Tuesday night.

“Fear has been infectious in this country. But courage can be contagious, too. That, too, is what it means to be an American…If you’re at home and you disagree with everything I just said, our message to you is this: We will still defend to the death your right to say it, because that is who we are as Americans,” said the GOP leader, who dropped out of the presidential race earlier this year.

“We are the country where we can disagree like hell and still get together at the dinner table at the end of it. That is the America I know. That is the America we miss,” he added.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk also reacted on Mr Ramaswamy’s remarks.

“Well said!!” Mr Musk posted on his X handle.

Well said!!pic.twitter.com/CgKPa1rnnt

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 17, 2024

Further stating “We don’t need to be a nation in decline,” Mr Ramaswamy asserted that US can still be a nation in ascent, and whose best days are still ahead of it.

Elaborating on it further, he said that in US, people, irrespective of their identity, surname, can get ahead with their commitment, dedication and hard work.

“That country where, no matter who you are, where your parents came from or what your skin colour is, or how long your last name is, you will still get ahead in this country with your own hard work, your own commitment, your own dedication, and that you know what? You are free to speak your mind at every step of the way,” Mr Ramaswamy said.

The Indian-origin leader further said that this “American exceptionalism” will be revived when Donald Trump returns to the White House.

“That is the American dream. That is what won us the American Revolution. That is what reunited us after the civilizational war. That is what won us two world wars and the Cold War. That is what still gives hope to the free world,” Mr Ramaswamy said.

He added, “And if we can revive that dream over group identity, victimhood, and grievance, then nobody in the world, not a nation, not a corporation, not a virus, not China, is going to defeat us. That is what American exceptionalism is all about. And that is what we will revive this November when we send Donald J. Trump back to the White House.”

Earlier in the day, the 38-year-old said that illegal immigrants will be ‘returned’ to the country of their origin.

“Our message to illegal immigrants is also this; we will return you to your country of origin. Not because you’re all bad people, but because you broke the law, and the United States of America was founded on the rule of law,” he stated.

Mr Ramaswamy added that he would seal the southern border on the first day if they came to power.

Addressing black Americans, he said, “The media has tried to convince you for decades that Republicans don’t care about your communities. We want for you what we want for every American: safe neighborhoods, clean streets, good jobs, a better life for your children, and a justice system that treats everyone equally – regardless of your skin colour or your political beliefs.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

JD Vance, Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick, has the support of former Trump presidential primary rival Vivek Ramaswamy.

Reminiscing the days of his law school, Mr Ramaswamy, an Indian-American entrepreneur, underscored how impressed he is with his “classmate” JD Vance getting the “strongest presidential ticket.”

“So proud of my friend, classmate, and fellow southwest Ohioan today. We used to watch Bengals games at the bar in law school, it’s awesome we’re now here a decade later with JD joining the strongest presidential ticket in our lifetime,” said Mr Ramaswamy.

“He’ll be an outstanding Vice President and I look forward to everything ahead for him and for our country,” Mr Ramaswamy added, who dropped out of the 2024 Republican presidential race after finishing fourth in the Iowa caucuses earlier.

So proud of my friend, classmate, and fellow southwest Ohioan today. We used to watch Bengals games at the bar in law school, it’s awesome we’re now here a decade later with JD joining the strongest presidential ticket in our lifetime. He’ll be an outstanding Vice President and I…

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) July 15, 2024

Donald Trump won the formal nomination Monday as the Republican presidential candidate and picked a right-wing loyalist for his running mate, kicking off a triumphalist party convention in the wake of the weekend’s failed assassination attempt.

A White House candidate often chooses a vice presidential running mate who can appeal to new categories of voters or compensate for acknowledged weaknesses in terms of image or policy.

Even if his octogenarian rival Joe Biden appears to be suffering more than him from advanced age, Trump knows he is no spring chicken at 78.

By picking Mr Vance, who at 39 is barely half Trump’s age — and the first millennial on a major US party presidential ticket — he could neutralize what had been the relatively youthful advantage of Biden’s vice president, 59-year-old Kamala Harris.

Mr Vance, who was once a fierce Trump antagonist, has made a U-turn to establish himself as one of the billionaire’s most ardent defenders.

He has deleted earlier tweets critical of Trump and instead passionately embraced his ideas, advocating a radical anti-immigration fight and uncompromising economic protectionism.

Vance’s 2016 memoir “Hillbilly Elegy” was extolled by some as a window into the lives and troubles of the white working class — and their support for Trump.

(With agency inputs)

New Delhi:

Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy today condemned the attack on former US President Donald Trump, who got hit on his ear during an attempt on his life at an election rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

“We believe the fact that Trump is safe right now is nothing short of an act of God,” Ramaswamy, who challenged the 78-year-old politician for the Republican presidential nomination at the primaries, wrote in a long post on X.

“My heart tells me God intervened not just for Trump, but for our nation.

“Today, the future survival of the United States of America came down to less than a hair’s width in the path of a bullet,” Ramaswamy said.

He continued his praise for Trump and said Americans just had the chance to see “our next President’s true character, unvarnished”. 

First they sued him. Then they prosecuted him. Then they tried to take him off the ballot. The only thing more tragic than what just happened is that, if we’re being honest, it wasn’t totally a shock. Biden’s inevitable ritual condemnation of political violence today (when it…

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) July 14, 2024

“He took the fire, he took the hit, he felt the blood, and then he stood right back up for the people he was put here to lead,” Ramaswamy added.

He, however, attacked US President Joe Biden and said, “First they sued him. Then they prosecuted him. Then they tried to take him off the ballot. The only thing more tragic than what just happened is that, if we’re being honest, it wasn’t totally a shock. 

“Biden’s inevitable ritual condemnation of political violence today (when it comes) will be insufficient and irrelevant. No amount of verbiage today changes the toxic national climate that led to this tragedy,” he said.

Regardless of who you vote for, let’s unite around the truth that what happened today is “unacceptable, now and forever”, he said.

His long post drew a reaction from billionaire Elon Musk, who earlier reacted to the shocking shooting by quickly endorsing Trump.

“You very much predicted this,” Musk said. “I badly hoped I would be wrong,” Ramaswamy responded.

I badly hoped I would be wrong.

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) July 14, 2024

Trump had just started speaking at the packed outdoor election rally in Butler town when bullets started flying. 

Video footage showed him grabbing his ear as shots were fired. With his face streaked with blood, Trump was quickly rescued by the US Secret Service agents.

Shortly after the incident, he said, “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear.”

The attacker, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was also shot and killed by a member of the Secret Service.

The shooting left one spectator dead and two others critically injured. 

Washington:

Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy who dropped out of the 2024 Republican presidential race after finishing fourth in the Iowa caucuses earlier, has now taken a jibe at US President Joe Biden for his re-run, and said that the debates should use commercial breaks to swap in real Democratic nominee.

Ramaswamy’s remarks came as the debate between Biden, 81, and Trump, 78, hosted by CNN concluded on Thursday night (local time).

Taking to X, Ramaswamy said, “The game is now more obvious than ever: the Democrat Party served up an old man as their sacrificial lamb tonight.”

“They should use the commercial break to swap in the real Democratic nominee,” he went on to say.

Slamming Biden for his Presidential candidacy, and the performance during Thursday night debate, Ramaswamy said, “The only time Biden came remotely close to life in the debate is when he’s talking about Trump’s conviction and J6. Turns out he doesn’t give a damn about the things Americans actually care about.”

He further added saying, “They didn’t drug up Biden. They lobotomized him instead.”

Ramaswamy, who was himself a contender for the White House run, said he was “shocked by Biden’s brain-dead performance” in the President debate.

“The fact that anyone is shocked by Biden’s brain-dead performance tonight is a scathing indictment of the media which has gone to great lengths to cover this fact up for the public,” Ramaswamy said.

On several analysts calling for replacing Biden as the nominee for Democrats, the Indian-American entrepreneur recalled how everyone called his message to the Democracy party of Biden purring an end to his candidature, as a “conspiracy theory.”

“The media dismissed it as a “conspiracy theory” when I called for Biden to end his candidacy last fall. 8 months later, they’re starting to call for it themselves,” Ramaswamy wrote on X.

Ramaswamy had finished fourth in Iowa, according to CNN News projections, well behind Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.

The Iowa caucus victory was considered the first step in Donald Trump’s bid to claim the Republican nomination in a third consecutive election.

President Joe Biden launched his re-election campaign in April 2023, describing the contest between him and Trump as a “stark choice” for voters between the continuation of democracy in America and its possible “destruction” under Trump.

He is the oldest president to ever hold office and would be 86 at the end of a second term. Polling shows that voters are far more concerned about Biden’s age than his opponent’s. But if Trump wins, he would break Biden’s record as the oldest president before the end of his term.

Meanwhile, Trump launched his bid to reclaim the White House in November 2022. He aims to reclaim the White House after his bitter exit in 2020, as he looks forward to becoming only the second commander-in-chief to win two non-consecutive terms in office.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Washington:

Republicans rallied behind former US president Donald Trump who on Thursday was convicted of a felony as a grand jury in New York found him guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records. This made him the first former president to be convicted of a felony.

The jury found that the 77-year-old presumptive Republican presidential candidate falsified the records in a scheme to influence his 2016 presidential election through hush money payments to a porn actor, Stormy Daniels, who had said she had sex with Trump.

Cutting across internal party divisions, the Republicans rallied around Trump as the jurors unanimously reached a verdict in the hush money criminal case.

“This will backfire,” said Indian-American Vivek Ramaswamy, who over the past few months has emerged as a close aide and confidant of Trump.

“The prosecutor is a politician who promised to nail Trump. The judge’s daughter is a Democrat operative who literally *raised dollars from the trial* while her father presided over it. The jury instructions said they didn’t have to agree on the crime to convict,” he said.

The prosecutor is a politician who promised to nail Trump.

The judge’s daughter is a Democrat operative who literally *raised $$ from the trial* while her father presided over it.

The jury instructions said they didn’t have to agree on the crime to convict.

This will backfire.

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) May 30, 2024

“Dems could have saved a lot of time by announcing the verdict first, and then having the trial,” said former Indian-American Governor Bobby Jindal from Louisiana.

“Pretty neat trick that the same Dem DA who makes violent felonies disappear conjured up these felonies,” he said.

House Speaker Mike Johnson described it as a shameful day in American history. “Democrats cheered as they convicted the leader of the opposing party on ridiculous charges, predicated on the testimony of a disbarred, convicted felon,” he said.

“This was a purely political exercise, not a legal one. The weaponisation of our justice system has been a hallmark of the Biden administration, and the decision today is further evidence that Democrats will stop at nothing to silence dissent and crush their political opponents,” Johnson said.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said extremist Democrats have undermined democracy by weaponising the courts to operate like a banana republic that targets their political opponents.

“Today’s verdict is a defeat for Americans who believe in the critical legal tenet that justice is blind. It was clear from the start that Biden teamed up with heavily biased DA Alvin Bragg to go after his political opponent regardless of wrongdoing – while hardened criminals are set free in New York to commit more violent crimes against innocent citizens,” he said.

He alleged that this is nothing more than an attempt to interfere with the 2024 election. “The radical Democrats behind this abuse of our justice system will not prevail. The voters will settle this on November 5th,” he said.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the verdict represents the culmination of a legal process that has been bent to the political will of the actors involved: a leftist prosecutor, a partisan judge and a jury reflective of one of the most liberal enclaves in America – all in an effort to ‘get’ Donald Trump.

“That this case – involving alleged misdemeanour business records violations from nearly a decade ago – was even brought is a testament to the political debasement of the justice system in places like New York City. This is especially true considering this same district attorney routinely excuses criminal conduct in a way that has endangered law-abiding citizens in his jurisdiction,” he said.

“Absolute injustice. This erodes our justice system. Hear me clearly: You cannot silence the American people. You cannot stop us from voting for change. Joe Biden – you’re fired. We the People stand with Donald J. Trump,” said Senator Tim Scott.

“This is a politically-motivated sham trial. The American people decide our elections. Donald Trump will be our next president,” said Sarah Huckbee Sanders, the Governor of Arkansas.

“This was a sham show trial. The Kangaroo Court will never stand on appeal. Americans deserve better than a sitting US President weaponising our justice system against a political opponent – all to win an election,” said Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

“This verdict is a disgrace, and this trial should have never happened. Now more than ever, we need to rally around [President Donald Trump], take back the White House and Senate, and get this country back on track. The real verdict will be Election Day,” said Senator John Cornyn.

Senator Ted Cruz said that this is a dark day for America. “This entire trial has been a sham, and it is nothing more than political persecution. The only reason they prosecuted Donald Trump is because Democrats are terrified that he will win reelection,” he said.

“This disgraceful decision is legally baseless and should be overturned promptly on appeal. Any judge with a modicum of integrity would recognise that this entire trial has been utterly fraudulent,” Cruz said.

“This verdict is the corrupt result of a corrupt trial, a corrupt judge, and a corrupt DA. We will stand with President Trump now more than ever to save the country,” said Congressman Matt Gaetz. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The biggest entertainment night of the year- the 96th Academy Awards took place on March 11, 2024. The star-studded event saw some of the biggest names in the film industry come together to celebrate cinema. Oppenheimer triumphed winning seven of the 13 Oscars it was nominated for. Amid this, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk snubbed the Oscars in a series of remarks over the weekend. In one of his posts on X (formerly Twitter), he compared receiving an Oscar to winning “the woke contest.”

“Winning an Oscar now just means you won the woke contest,” he said on the microblogging platform. “Guess I was wrong,” he wrote in a subsequent post. 

Winning an Oscar now just means you won the woke contest

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 10, 2024

In another post, he said, “When an award is diluted, everyone knows, including those who received it, and it no longer commands respect.”

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the term “woke” means “aware, especially of social problems such as racism and inequality.” However, Mr Musk has previously stated that “wokeness” seeks to make “comedy illegal.”

Since being shared, the post has amassed 27 million views and over two lakh likes on the platform.

Vivek Ramaswamy commented on the post and said, “American History X is an all-time classic that wouldn’t even earn a nomination if it were made today.”

A user said, “Sounds like someone didn’t get invited to the cool parties this year.”

“Not defending Hollywood, just shaming anyone who feels threatened by ‘wokeness’.” added a person.

“Most watched documentary of the year and zero chance they’d ever consider a nomination for our documentary because we aren’t woke,” one user stated.

A user wrote, “You should buy the Oscars and make them terrible probably cheaper than twitter.”

“Oppenheimer is woke? Dude, what are you on about,” wrote a person.

An X user added, “You think if Oppenheimer wins it’s because it’s woke?”

“Sorry, disagree here. While there is a stigma of wokeness and liberalism, a lot of people work on a movie. Celebrate them and their efforts,” said a user.

The biggest entertainment night of the year- the 96th Academy Awards took place on March 11, 2024. The star-studded event saw some of the biggest names in the film industry come together to celebrate cinema. Oppenheimer triumphed winning seven of the 13 Oscars it was nominated for. Amid this, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk snubbed the Oscars in a series of remarks over the weekend. In one of his posts on X (formerly Twitter), he compared receiving an Oscar to winning “the woke contest.”

“Winning an Oscar now just means you won the woke contest,” he said on the microblogging platform. “Guess I was wrong,” he wrote in a subsequent post. 

Winning an Oscar now just means you won the woke contest

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 10, 2024

In another post, he said, “When an award is diluted, everyone knows, including those who received it, and it no longer commands respect.”

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the term “woke” means “aware, especially of social problems such as racism and inequality.” However, Mr Musk has previously stated that “wokeness” seeks to make “comedy illegal.”

Since being shared, the post has amassed 27 million views and over two lakh likes on the platform.

Vivek Ramaswamy commented on the post and said, “American History X is an all-time classic that wouldn’t even earn a nomination if it were made today.”

A user said, “Sounds like someone didn’t get invited to the cool parties this year.”

“Not defending Hollywood, just shaming anyone who feels threatened by ‘wokeness’.” added a person.

“Most watched documentary of the year and zero chance they’d ever consider a nomination for our documentary because we aren’t woke,” one user stated.

A user wrote, “You should buy the Oscars and make them terrible probably cheaper than twitter.”

“Oppenheimer is woke? Dude, what are you on about,” wrote a person.

An X user added, “You think if Oppenheimer wins it’s because it’s woke?”

“Sorry, disagree here. While there is a stigma of wokeness and liberalism, a lot of people work on a movie. Celebrate them and their efforts,” said a user.

 The Ramaswamy campaign sought the change in rules for the third primary debate scheduled to be held in Miami on November 8, CBS News reported on Monday. File
| Photo Credit: AP

Indian-American presidential aspirant Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign has asked the Republican National Committee to allow only the top four candidates in national polling to the third Republican primary debate next month, saying another “unhelpful debate” is not an option.

The second Republican debate of the 2024 election cycle, which was held at Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California, last week, saw Ramaswamy sharing the stage with six other candidates, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former United Nations Ambassador and Indian-American Nikki Haley.

The Ramaswamy campaign sought the change in rules for the third primary debate scheduled to be held in Miami on November 8, CBS News reported on Monday.

Ramaswamy asked the Republican party to allow only the top four candidates in national polling to be allowed onto the debate stage, aside from former president Donald Trump, according to a letter sent to the Republican National Committee (RNC) by Ben Yoho, the CEO of the 38-year-old multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur’s campaign.

“Another unhelpful debate in November is not an option,” Yoho wrote. “Voters are not well-served when a cacophony of candidates with minimal chance of success talk over each other from the edge of the stage, while the overwhelming frontrunner is absent from the centre of that same stage,” the letter said, according to the report.

Ramaswamy, Trump, DeSantis, and Haley appear to have met the qualifications for the third debate stage, according to Politico newspaper.

Trump, who did not attend the second Republican debate last month, will also not attend the third debate in Miami, a Trump campaign adviser, Chris LaCivita, told CBS News. The former president is currently the frontrunner.

Apart from requesting “greater time for candidates to respond to their competitors,” Yoho also appealed for a single debate moderator “who is able to enforce debate rules and avoid candidates indiscernibly shouting over each other,” the report said.

Yoho also asked the donor threshold to be raised to 100,000 unique donors – up from the 70,000-donor limit in the RNC’s current debate criteria.

According to the report, campaigns can’t force the RNC to adjust the debate rules but can lobby for changes.

Yoho’s letter also took a dig at the reported summit of GOP mega-donors and campaign representatives of DeSantis and Republican presidential candidate Haley scheduled for later this month.

“A small group of billionaires has already ‘summoned’ certain PAC (Political action committee)-favoured campaigns to a private retreat in Texas to potentially coordinate and consolidate donor support against President Trump,” Yoho wrote. “Our party’s voters, not mega-donors, should be the ones to properly vet presidential candidates and determine the nominee,” he said, according to the report.

Simi Valley:

Seven presidential hopefuls faced off Wednesday for the second Republican primary debate — with frontrunner Donald Trump bidding to steal the headlines despite spurning the showdown.

Trump, 77, announced in August he would be skipping the debates, usually a staple of presidential nomination contests, because he has no need to waste time on his distant challengers.

Instead, the populist real estate tycoon, who is battling multiple criminal cases ranging from mishandling state secrets to conspiring to overturn the 2020 election, met auto industry workers in the battleground state of Michigan.

The latest legal blow to Trump came Tuesday when a New York judge ruled that he and sons Eric and Don Jr committed fraud by inflating the value of Trump Organization assets for years.

At his event in Michigan, however, the former reality TV star attempted to boost his blue-collar message while dismantling the pro-worker reputation cultivated by President Joe Biden, who visited striking union members in the state on Tuesday.

“Joe Biden claims to be the most pro-union president in history. Nonsense. Think of it. His entire career has been an act of economic treason and union destruction,” Trump said.

Seven candidates achieved the Republican National Committee’s qualifying criteria to appear at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute in Simi Valley, California, for the second debate.

Trump’s chief rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, was facing off against political newcomer Vivek Ramaswamy, former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, Trump’s vice president Mike Pence, and pugnacious former New Jersey governor Chris Christie.

South Carolina Senator Tim Scott and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum rounded out the field for the clash moderated by Fox Business and Univision.

The event kicked off with a question about handling the autoworkers’ strike, and while Ramaswamy voiced sympathy with the workers, Scott made clear the priority was immigration rather than labor.

“Joe Biden should not be on the picket line. He should be on the southern border, working to close our southern border, because it is unsafe, wide open and insecure,” Scott said.

Trump — who was found liable for sexual abuse in May, but denies wrongdoing in all his criminal and civil cases — scoffs at his challengers.

‘Huge milestone’

“You know, they’re wasting a lot of time with these ridiculous debates that nobody’s watching,” Trump told supporters at a campaign event in South Carolina on Monday. “Their last debate was the lowest-rated debate in history.”

Gerard Filitti, senior counsel at the Lawfare Project, a political and civil rights organization advocating for the Jewish community, says Trump’s strategy is intended to send the message that he is the “inevitable” choice to be the Republican standard-bearer in 2024.

“He has nothing to gain by debating, and everything to lose if confronted with questions about his past conduct, the multiple criminal indictments he is facing regarding the 2020 election, and even his lack of clarity or consistency on some issues like abortion,” Filitti told AFP.

Trump’s legal troubles have done little to dent his lead, with 59 percent of Republican primary voters in a new NBC News poll making him their top choice, with DeSantis a distant runner-up on 16 percent.

The Trump campaign released a statement ahead of the debate mocking DeSantis and predicting he would “flail around like a bobble head on stage while trying to gaslight voters about President Trump’s record.”

The debate comes with Haley in particular enjoying a moment in the sun, with recent polling indicating she would likely fare best of all the candidates, including Trump, in a head-to-head with Biden.

“Tonight is a huge milestone that will help us build a surge of momentum and set the tone for the upcoming months on the campaign trail,” she told supporters in a mail-out ahead of the showdown.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)