Republican presidential nominee Vivek Ramaswamy has demanded that his GOP nomination rivals pledge to pardon Donald Trump if elected.
He said he would overturn any conviction against the former president for mishandling classified documents, obstructing justice and making false statements.
The 37-year-old biotech entrepreneur said Trump’s prosecution will “permanently damage public confidence in our electoral process and our justice system.”
“Whoever of us is elected, our task of reuniting the nation will be daunting – if not impossible,” he said. “I condemn these accusations made by the United States Department of Justice.”
“I have signed a pledge to immediately pardon President Trump on January 20, 2025 from the United States federal charges against Donald J. Trump and [former valet] Waltine Nauta,” the 37-year-old biotech entrepreneur told reporters.
GOP hopeful demanded his Republican rivals pledge to pardon Donald Trump if convicted
Ramaswamy issued a rallying cry to his fellow Republicans seeking to run for 2024; “I respectfully request that you join me in this commitment or otherwise publicly explain why you are not doing so.”
The businessman and Harvard graduate has filed a Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, requiring the Justice Department to turn over all communications with the White House regarding that case.
Ramaswamy, one of Trump’s most outspoken defenders, warned he was ready to go to court to secure their release.
“If they fail to comply with the law in the next 20 business days, we will sue them in federal courts at our campaign expense to get to the bottom of those answers,” he said in Miami earlier on Tuesday.
Fellow rivals, who previously championed the real estate tycoon, have had some debate in their defense of the ex-president since the indictment of classified documents was made public.
But the 37-year-old barely registers in the primary voting intentions of registered Republicans so far.
According to a poll calculated by Real Clear Politics, the son of Indian immigrants is just over 2 percent behind tall former New Jersey governor Chris Christie.
Ramaswamy’s allies deny that he is seeking a position in a second-term Trump administration.
They insist that he will return to his business interests if he fails to win the GOP nomination.
He has largely positioned himself on an “anti-woke” ticket, pledging to scrap the US green card lottery, end affirmative action and raise the voting age to 25.
Under Ramaswamy’s plan, 18- to 24-year-olds would only be allowed to vote if they have served in the military, worked as a first responder or passed a citizenship test.
However, his blueprint would require an amendment to the US Constitution.
The highly anticipated Florida candidate’s appearance came as hundreds of people, including media representatives and supporters of the former president, gathered outside the Miami courthouse.
A Trump supporter pulls a trailer showing the former president in front of a group of prominent Democrats behind bars
Former President Donald Trump is set to appear in court again in downtown Miami on Tuesday, this time for the 37 federal charges he faces over his handling of classified documents following his departure from the White House.
Trump poses with supporters in Doral on Monday evening. His aide Walt Nauta is seen on the far left, in a red tie: Nauta has been charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice with Trump
Trump faces a 37-count criminal record in connection with alleged mishandling of classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.
He denies all allegations, labeling the allegations against him as a politically motivated witch hunt.
The 76-year-old GOP frontrunner and other Republicans allege the DOJ has failed to investigate alleged mishandling of classified documents by current US President Joe Biden with the same rigor.
Biden said Friday that he had not spoken to Attorney General Merrick Garland about Trump’s latest legal woes and had no plans to do so.
“I haven’t spoken to him at all and I’m not going to talk to him,” Biden said when asked by a reporter if he wanted to speak with the attorney general.
The Code of Federal Regulations states that any special counsel must have “a reputation for integrity and impartial decision-making.”
The rules also call for “an informed understanding of criminal law and Justice Department policies.”