Vivek Ramaswamy, the biotech executive running for the GOP presidential nomination, said he will pardon Donald Trump if elected.
On Thursday, Trump was indicted on seven counts in classified documents case and was arraigned on the charges on Monday afternoon in Miami.
Ramaswamy discussed the indictment in a statement.
Supporting Trump’s criticisms, Ramaswamy described “two tiers of justice,” referring to an alleged legal disparity between Trump and President Joe Biden.
The 37-year-old presidential hopeful will likely never sit in the Oval Office. In a crowded race of twelve candidates, he is polling in the single digits in the GOP primary.
Regardless, his promise to pardon the indicted former President has helped him gain attention. “It would be much easier for me to win this election if Trump weren’t in the race, but I stand for principles over politics,” he said. “I commit to pardon Trump prompts on January 20, 2025 and to restore the rule of law in our country.”
Ramaswamy’s statement is bold in comparison to his competitors.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) tweeted criticism of the indictment, saying he will “bring accountability to the DOJ,” but did not explicitly mention a pardon. Similarly, Sen. Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) said that “lady justice has a blindfold on” in a Fox News interview following the indictment.
