On podcast, GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy gets friendly with Alex Jones, who complains he’s more censored than Hamas
Ramaswamy’s interview with Jones, a far-right conspiracy theorist, included a discussion of Israel and criticism of ‘globalist’ donors
GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, right, interviewing Infowars host Alex Jones on his podcast, which was released Oct. 24. Photo by Screenshot/YouTube
By Jacob Kornbluh October 24, 2023
GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy interviewed Infowars host Alex Jones on his podcast and received a quasi-endorsement from the conspiracy theorist, who complained that he is more censored than Hamas.
The interview, released Tuesday, is part of a series Ramaswamy has released in recent weeks called “The Truth.”
Ramaswamy titled the podcast “The Most Censored Man in the World.”
“I actually don’t know a lot about him,” the 38-year-old political newcomer said. “The number one thing I know about him is that everybody has told me not to talk to him, which is what made me want to actually sit down and talk to him.”
Jones has hosted antisemitic figures on his own show, blamed the many lawsuits filed against him on Jewish billionaire and Holocaust survivor George Soros, compared the Italian mafia to the “Jewish mafia” and claimed that “leftist Jews” impersonated neo-Nazis in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 to discredit white supremacists. Last year Jones hosted Kanye West and white supremacist Nick Fuentes for a two-hour livestream filled with antisemitic diatribes after the rapper, who has changed his legal name to Ye, spewed antisemitic conspiracy theories on social media and elsewhere.
The Republican presidential candidate has in the past faced backlash for interviewing YouTuber Albert Faleski, who is known for promoting antisemitic content and conspiracy theories. He defended Faleski’s appearance in a recent interview, saying that he “will talk to anyone,” including white nationalists and antisemites. “I don’t believe in cancel culture,” he said.
A discussion on the war between Israel and Hamas
Several times during the course of the podcast Ramaswamy and Jones discussed Israel’s war against Hamas in response to the terror group’s surprise attack on Israel’s southern border on Oct. 7, in which it killed more than 1,400 people, including at least 30 Americans. Israeli military actions since have killed more than 5,000 Palestinians, according to Hamas.
Jones told Ramaswamy that Hamas has more freedom to share its views than he does. “You see Hamas publishing videos of kidnapping Israelis, killing Israelis — dead bodies, houses shot up with dead families — that’s posted on Twitter,” he said, adding that it was permitted under the First Amendment. “I’m not storming Israeli towns and murdering people in mass or coming on powered hang gliders slaughtering people.” Jones has been banned from Twitter.
At another point in the podcast Ramaswamy criticized President Joe Biden and his Republican rivals for expressing strong support for Israel. He also faulted their efforts to increase aid and send more military hardware to Israel, and for bolstering the U.S. army’s presence in the region.
“Absolutely, Israel is our ally,” he said. “What happened to them was wrong. It was barbaric, was medieval. And of course, they have a right to national self-defense. But I’ve also said that we should not want to enter a broader regional conflict in the Middle East that doesn’t advance U.S. interests.
“That’s arguably not good for Israel,” he added, “but certainly not good for the U.S.”
Ramaswamy reserved particular criticism for Nikki Haley, one of his chief rivals and the former U.S. ambassador to the U.N., and other candidates “who screech ‘finish them, finish them’ — talking about Hamas and Iran as though there’s no distinction — ‘finish them.’”
“OK, what are the consequences of that for the United States of America?” he asked.
Earlier this week, Ramaswamy threatened to skip the upcoming Republican presidential debate scheduled for Nov. 8 in Miami. It comes as the political conversation has shifted toward international affairs. Ramaswamy, who has already come under fire for his position against U.S. funding for Ukraine and pledge to end Israel’s dependence on U.S. assistance, could face some tough questioning at the debate, co-hosted by the Republican Jewish Coalition.
An endorsement on hold
During the podcast interview, Jones praised Ramaswamy and said he had been “impressed” by his policy positions and communication skills. He said Ramaswamy would be his next choice for president if “something happens” to Donald Trump. “They may assassinate Trump,” Jones said, without providing any evidence to that claim. “I’d like him to be elected, but if not, you.”
Episode 6: Alex Jones. The most censored man in the world. pic.twitter.com/8CqK9LR8Nm
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) October 24, 2023
Ramaswamy and Jones dropped the terms “globalist” and “puppet masters” into their conservation, common dog whistles for antisemitism. “The globalists have come out in the open,” Jones said. Ramaswamy concurred: “They’re puppets of a broken super PAC, puppet master system. And that’s just the state of American politics today.”
Ramaswamy took aim at Fox News host Sean Hannity, saying he was “disappointed” that Hannity pushed back on his criticism of Haley and his position on Israel. He described that exchange as a “wake-up call” for him — “to see even a purported conservative voice buy into what is the captured establishment super PAC puppetry.”
That played well with Jones. “We need people like you at the top of government that actually know the subjects and aren’t just getting talking points from the donor class,” he told Ramaswamy.
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