Donald Trump thinks Vivek Ramaswamy is “great,” but cautions that the GOP presidential candidate is getting a bit too “controversial.”
In Tuesday’s episode of Glenn Beck’s series “The Glenn Beck Program,” the conservative media personality asked the twice-impeached former U.S. president about his thoughts on his fellow GOP candidate Ramaswamy.
“You said that you weren’t going, but you would be watching, the debate for a vice president. Have you thought of Vice President [Vivek] Ramaswamy?” Beck questioned Trump, who was connected to the show through a phone call.
“Well, I think he’s great,” Trump quickly answered. “Look, anybody that said I’m the best president in a generation…I don’t know, you’d have to define ‘generation’ — it’s a long time.”
During Ramaswamy’s debate against Florida governor Ron DeSantis, he said it was a “fact” that Trump was the “best president of the 21st century.”
Trump said Ramaswamy’s compliments sparked his admiration for the 38-year-old.
“I have to like a guy like that,” Trump said. I can’t get upset with him. But he’s a smart guy. He’s a young guy, he’s got a lot of talent. He’s a very very — a very intelligent person. He’s got good energy, and he could be some form of something. I tell ya, I think he’d be very good. I think he’s very good. I think he’s really distinguished himself.”
But in the same breath, Trump said Ramaswamy was getting a bit contentious.
“He’s starting to get out there a little bit, he’s getting a little bit controversial, I guess tell him to be a little bit carful,” Trump said.
Some of the controversy Trump might have been alluding to is Ramaswamy’s recent run-in with Grammy award-winning rapper Eminem. On Aug. 23, the musician sent the tech businessman a cease-and-desist after he was seen reciting Eminem’s lyrics to “Lose Yourself.”
Or, Trump could be referring to when Ramaswamy likened the LGBTQIA+ community created a “tyranny of the minority.”
Trump continued, saying Ramaswamy should find some restraint: “Some things you have to hold in just a little bit, right?”
