Global Courant
Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy made it clear that he had no intention of banning transgender people from serving in the military.
“I wouldn’t reinstate a ban on transgender members,” Ramaswamy said during an interview on ABC’s “This Week” Sunday.
Ramaswamy’s comments came in response to questions about his alleged “anti-woke” bona fides, with host Martha Raddatz noting that he was presented as the “godfather of the anti-woke movement” at a recent event.
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Republican presidential candidate and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
The candidate did note that he wanted to be “very clear” that he was “very focused” on transgender “ideology” and not aimed at children.
Shortly after taking office, President Biden moved to scrap a Trump-era regulation that banned people from serving openly under their self-identified gender. The move to allow transgender people to serve openly was finalized in June 2021 and applies to all active duty members, members of the National Guard or Reserve, and U.S. military service cadets.
Ramaswamy is seen by many observers as a highly anticipated candidate, behind former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the favorites to win the 2024 GOP nomination.
Former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (Getty Images)
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According to Fox News’ latest poll, Ramaswamy is the preferred candidate of just 3% of Republican primary voters, far behind the 53% who support Trump and 21% who support DeSantis. Ramaswamy also follows former Vice President Mike Pence and former Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who received 6% and 4% support respectively in the Fox News poll.
But Ramaswamy said he embraced his “outsider” status, something that was once true of Trump before shocking observers to secure the GOP nomination and the White House in 2016.
Vivek Ramaswamy (Dylan Hollingsworth/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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“I’m the outsider in this race, I think one day you become an outsider,” Ramaswamy told “This Week.” “I’m the first millennial ever to run for the GOP nomination for U.S. President, and I’m actually leading us somewhere. For too long, many other conservatives have run from something.”
The Ramaswamy campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment.
Michael Lee is a writer at Fox News. Follow him on Twitter @UAMichaelLee
