Vivek Ramaswamy, a Republican politician, has decided to step away from social media, a move that follows a contentious speech at Turning Point USAs AmericaFest which stirred discontent within his own party.
According to Mediaite, Ramaswamy detailed his intentions in an article titled "Social Media Is a Trap for Politicians," where he announced plans to "become a social-media teetotaler in 2026" due to the backlash he faced on Elon Musks platform, X. "On New Years Eve, I deleted X and Instagram from my phone. Ill spend my newfound time listening to more voters in real-world Ohio, developing more policies to make our state affordable, and being more present with my family," he expressed. He anticipates that distancing himself from social media will enhance his leadership and personal happiness.
While Ramaswamy's campaign team will continue to manage his social media presence, he himself will refrain from engaging with it, citing the "negative and bombastic" feedback following his AmericaFest speech. "I delivered a speech arguing that the U.S. is a nation defined above all by ideals, not shared bloodlines. Based on social-media comments beforehand, I expected to be booed. If you scrolled through them after, youd believe thats what happened," he explained. Despite the online criticism, he received a standing ovation from over 20,000 attendees at the event.
Ramaswamy also pointed to the "spate of shocking racial slurs and worse on social media" as a further impetus for his decision. His Republican rival in the 2026 Ohio gubernatorial race, Casey Putsch, ridiculed Ramaswamy's choice, questioning his commitment to engaging with voters online. "Which is it, Vivek? Should politicians engage with their voters on social media or not? Why are you really leaving X? Im not going anywhere," Putsch challenged.
The controversy surrounding Ramaswamy is not new. In December, he provoked ire among Republicans by suggesting that immigrants are as American as those with ancestry dating back to the Mayflower. "I think the idea of a heritage American is about as loony as anything the woke left has actually put up. There is no American who is more American than somebody else," he stated. This perspective, while applauded at AmericaFest, drew significant criticism from Republicans on social media platforms.
This incident was not the first time Ramaswamy faced backlash during the holiday season. In 2024, he sparked controversy with a Christmas post criticizing a perceived culture of "mediocrity" in the U.S. and suggesting that immigrant parents excel in raising children compared to native-born parents. Dubbed Ramaswamys "Christmas Crash Out," this episode led to a loss of support from many of his followers.
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