Vivek Ramaswamy stirred a row on social media after sharing a video of the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, taken from one of Kirk’s question-and-answer sessions, where he asked, “What does it mean to be an American?”Ramaswamy’s own identity has often been questioned within the MAGA movement, with some hard-right Republicans expressing discomfort over his Indian origin and arguing that he does not represent the image of a traditional white conservative leader.The clip shows Kirk debating a man who argued that the Founding Fathers intended America to be a nation “for white men of good stock and character.” Kirk quickly challenged him, asking, “Can you show me where in the United States Constitution it says that?” He went on to explain that the phrase E pluribus unum — meaning “Out of many, one” — reflects America’s founding idea of unity, not racial exclusion.However, Ramaswamy’s post drew backlash, where users reminded others of Kirk’s past remarks opposing H1-B visas and describing Indian workers as “parasites” who were “stealing jobs” in the United States. Kirk’s views had long aligned with Donald Trump’s MAGA positions on border control, gender, immigration, and race policies.Many questioned why Ramaswamy, an Indian-origin politician, would publicly praise someone often accused of promoting ‘white nationalist’ ideas.
The full exchange from the clip:
Charlie Kirk: “I want to ask you a question. What does it mean to be an American? Is it an idea, a shared history, or is it a skin colour?”Audience Member: “You could go back to the original Founding Fathers and the Immigration Act. They meant this to be a nation for white men of good stock and character.”Kirk: “Can you show me where in the United States Constitution it says that?”Audience Member: “Well, it wasn’t in the Constitution—”Kirk: “Exactly. They didn’t believe that. They did not put that in the Constitution… What does E pluribus unum mean? It means ‘Out of many, one.’ Your ideology is not conservative — it’s right-wing racial nonsense.”(Audience cheers and chants “USA! USA! USA!”)
Kirk’s assassination
Charlie Kirk was assassinated in early September while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. He was fatally shot in the neck in front of thousands of attendees by a sniper from 200 yards away. The suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was arrested two days later and charged with aggravated murder after DNA linked him to the rifle used. Prosecutors called it a political assassination, citing Robinson’s note saying he had “the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk” and his claim that he acted because he had “had enough of his hatred.”
