Former President Donald Trump came out against fellow GOP presidential candidate and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy prior to the Iowa caucus.
Trump has previously praised Ramaswamy for the entrepreneur's favorable sentiments about the former president.
In a Saturday Truth Social post, Trump noted Ramaswamy previously referred to him as "the best President in generations."
"Unfortunately, now all he does is disguise his support in the form of deceitful campaign tricks," he wrote. "Very sly, but a vote for Vivek is a vote for the 'other side'—don't get duped by this. Vote for 'TRUMP,' don't waste your vote!"
"Vivek is not MAGA," Trump continued. "The Biden Indictments against his Political Opponent will never be allowed in this Country, they are already beginning to fall! MAGA!!!"
Later Saturday, the entrepreneur responded to Trump's criticism in an X post saying it was an "unfortunate move by [Trump's] campaign advisors."
Ramaswamy reiterated he believed Trump was the "greatest President of the 21st century," though added "friendly fire [is not] helpful."
"I'm not going to criticize him in response to this late attack," he wrote.
Ramaswamy said Iowans he has met on the campaign trail have expressed worry that the "system won't allow Donald J. Trump anywhere near the White House again."
"I’m worried for Trump. I’m worried for our country," Ramaswamy's post continued. "I’ve stood up against the persecutions against Trump, and I’ve defended him at every step. I showed up at the Miami courthouse in solidarity following his first federal indictment. I filed a FOIA demand to the Biden DOJ. I submitted an amicus brief this week with the U.S. Supreme Court calling on them to overturn Colorado’s ruling. I pledged to remove myself from Maine’s & Colorado’s primary ballots if they remove Trump, calling on DeSantis and Haley to do the same."
The entrepreneur warned of efforts to stymie Trump's chances at the presidency saying, "We have to open our eyes."
"Last time it was a man-made pandemic & Big Tech election interference," Ramaswamy wrote. "Now, the same billionaires funding the lawsuits against Trump are the ones trying to prop up Nikki Haley. The same MSM blasting Trump is lavishing praise on Nikki. They want to narrow this to a two-horse race between Trump & Haley, eliminate Trump (one way or other), and trot their puppet into the White House."
The entrepreneur said "we'll kick ourselves for not stopping it."
"Our movement must live on. America-First didn’t start in 2016. It started in 1776," he continued. "We owe it to our Founding Fathers to do the right thing for our country. I want to save Trump & to save this country. Let’s do it together."
Ramaswamy's post concluded by insisting he would not fire back at Trump's criticism.
On Monday morning, Trump shared another post to Truth Social insisting a vote for Ramaswamy was a "wasted vote."
"I LIKE VIVEK, BUT HE PLAYED IT TOO 'CUTE' WITH US," Trump wrote. "CAUCUS TONIGHT, VOTE FOR DONALD J. TRUMP, BUILD THE NUMBERS!!!"
"IN NOVEMBER, WE MUST TAKE OUR VERY TROUBLED NATION," Trump's post continued. "A NATION IN DECLINE — BACK FROM CROOKED JOE BIDEN AND THE RADICAL LEFT DEMOCRATS AND THUGS WHO ARE DESTROYING IT. MAGA!!!"
According to RealClearPolitics, Trump holds a commanding 49.4-point lead over GOP runner-up and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. Fellow Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis trails Haley by 1.3 points, per the polling aggregator.
