Trump rushes to back Vivek Ramaswamy over controversial ad and blasts Republicans criticizing it

President Donald Trump issued a lengthy statement defending Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy after the MAGA Republican aired a controversial attack ad featuring his opponent’s estranged mother.The ad, released earlier this week, features Democratic candidate Dr. Amy Acton’s mother branding her daughter a “liar” and urging Ohio residents not to vote for her.Ramaswamy has faced intense backlash over the ad due to the fact that Acton has not spoken to her mother, Donna Arthur, in decades. Arthur lost custody of her children after her husband, Cledith Arthur, was indicted for raping Acton. He was never prosecuted for the rape charge, and the couple fled the state.But on Tuesday, Trump praised the video as “very powerful” in a Truth Social post, while attacking media coverage and Republicans who oppose it.“The Press, in a concerted and well coordinated attack, is trying to get Vivek Ramaswamy to ‘take down the Ad,’” Trump wrote. “Frankly, anybody whose mother spoke about a daughter in that way would normally lead to the daughter being precluded from serving in Office, let alone the Office of Governor.”Donald Trump praised Vivek Ramaswamy’s ad as ‘very powerful’ in a Truth Social post on Thursday (Getty)The president then targeted Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, one of several Republicans who have condemned the ad and urged Ramaswamy to take it down.“He probably wants a Dumocrat to win, and certainly doesn’t want someone who will do a much better job than he is capable of doing,” Trump said of DeWine. “I suggested, on the other hand, that Vivek should keep it up, and let everyone listen to the mother of a defective, dishonest, and incapable Candidate, explain how the daughter is a DISASTER…”“Who wouldn’t use such an Ad? I would,” he added. Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate and former director of the Ohio Department of Health, Dr. Amy Acton, speaks to supporters during a rally on April 28, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio (Getty)After the ad went viral on social media, Acton’s campaign issued a statement condemning the “platforming” of her “estranged and abusive mother” as a “despicable low.”Numerous Democrats denounced the ad, as did a number of Republicans. Conservative CNN commentator Scott Jennings warned it would “blow up” in the Republican Party’s face and harm Ramaswamy’s chances in the Ohio gubernatorial race.Ramaswamy has said he views the ad as “legitimate.”"It is an ad from our campaign, and the thing that I want to say is that I would love for this race and this election to be about the substantive issues that impact Ohioans, and unfortunately, Amy Acton has been hiding from those issues,” he told reporters on Tuesday. “She won't debate me.”Voters will head to the polls on November 3 to choose Ohio’s next governor, with polls showing a tight race in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the office since 2006.