Top Ramaswamy aide leaves to join Trump campaign: Report

Washington, Nov 30 (PTI) A top aide to Republican presidential aspirant Vivek Ramaswamy has resigned and joined former president Donald Trump’s campaign, according to a media report which called the departure the latest indicator of Indian-American’s stagnating election campaign.

Brian Swensen formally resigned from his role as national political director for the Ramaswamy campaign over the weekend, CNN reported.

Swensen has joined the Trump campaign, the news network quoted a source familiar with his departure, as saying. Swensen is expected to be working on the campaign’s political operation in the early-voting states, specifically in Nevada, two Trump campaign sources told CNN.

Swensen’s departure is the latest indicator of 38-year-old Ramaswamy’s stagnating campaign, which has struggled to gain momentum even as the candidate closely aligns himself with Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 Republican nomination, the report said.

Ramaswamy has repeatedly praised Trump, the Republican front-runner, whom he trails by double digits, often calling him the “best president of the 21st century.”

Earlier this month, Brandon Goodyear, the Ramaswamy team’s videographer, stepped away from the campaign, a source familiar with the departure told CNN.

Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Ramaswamy campaign, thanked Swensen for his work with the campaign and wished him well in the future.

“We absolutely love Brian and completely wish him the best,” McLaughlin said.

Swensen’s responsibilities handling Ramaswamy’s political operations in New Hampshire will be overseen by senior adviser Mike Biundo, McLaughlin said.

Swensen’s departure came as Ramaswamy, whose campaign for the 2024 Republican nomination has plateaued in the polls, is barnstorming the early primary states in the final weeks before the start of the primary season in Iowa and New Hampshire in January.

The development comes as Ramaswamy has been trailing Trump and several other 2024 Republican contenders, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, in early state polls.

The biotech entrepreneur launched his campaign in February as a little-known candidate, later emerging in the summer as a breakout star.

But Ramaswamy struggled to keep up that momentum.

The other Republican presidential candidates have targeted Ramaswamy during those debates over his lack of political experience and on several controversial foreign policy stances pertaining to US involvement in Taiwan and Israel.