Vivek Ramaswamy suspended his run for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination on Monday after finishing fourth in the Iowa caucus.
The biotech entrepreneur announced he would endorse former President Donald Trump for the nomination. Ramaswamy said he called Trump earlier Monday evening to congratulate him on his victory in Iowa.
Ramaswamy, 38, said he decided to suspend his campaign after determining there was no path forward for him in the race, “absent things that we don’t want to see happen in this country,” The Associated Press reported.
“And I think we’re going to do the right thing for this country. And so I’m going to ask you to follow me in taking our America First movement to the next level.”
Trump acknowledged Ramaswamy in his victory speech saying he “did a helluva job” in the campaign.
Ramaswamy added that he would likely appear with Trump in New Hampshire Tuesday night and suggested Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley should “follow suit” in withdrawing from the race.
Ramaswamy collected nearly 8% of the vote in Iowa, the first state to vote in the race for the Republican nomination for president. DeSantis came in second and Haley third.
Ramaswamy said he would be open to vice presidential consideration.
“I’m not somebody who’s going to be able to speak anyone’s convictions but my own,” he said. “So, if that’s a role that I can perform from the vice presidency or any other one, I’m going to evaluate whatever is best for the future of this country. But my No. 1 commitment is to truth.”