Trump Backs Ramaswamy Ad as Iowa GOP Candidate Objects

WHO:

Alternet - The Guardian writer Adam Gabbatt examined President Trump’s comments about Republican candidates’ appearances at campaign rallies.

Alternet - Fox News host Jesse Watters said of Trump’s remarks, “Sometimes it sounds a little gay. But he can get away with it because he's straight.”

CNN - Iowa GOP Senate candidate Ashley Hinson said the ad was “absolutely terrible” and that Acton should not have “to relive that trauma.”

CNN - Trump urged Republicans to embrace the ad and pressure fellow Republicans to fall in line.

CNN - The article cited Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s mother’s 2018 email, which said he “belittles, lies, cheats, sleeps around and uses women for his own power and ego”; she later disowned those sentiments and defended him during his confirmation process.

CNN - Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine criticized the ad; Trump called him “disloyal to the Republican Party.”

CNN - Sen. Jon Husted and other Ohio Republicans spoke out against the ad.

CBS News Politics - President Trump defended Vivek Ramaswamy, a Republican candidate for governor of Ohio.

ABC News - Iowa Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson criticized Ramaswamy.

ABC News - Amy Acton was Ramaswamy’s opponent in the Ohio governor’s race; the ad featured Acton’s estranged mother.

WHAT:

ABC News - Trump said the ad had “nothing to do” with Amy Acton’s stepfather and described it as “a mother speaking badly against Amy Acton.”

ABC News - Acton’s mother, Donna Arthur, said in the ad that her daughter had lied about her past and struggles growing up.

ABC News - Trump called Arthur a “smart woman,” said he did not care that Acton had been estranged from her mother for decades, and argued the ad was fair game.

ABC News - Trump said that when he first saw the ad, he thought, “Wow, that means Vivek easily will win the race.”

ABC News - Trump said he would run an ad like Ramaswamy’s himself.

ABC News - Ramaswamy said the ad “had nothing to do with childhood abuse.”

CNN - Trump said the Republican Party should “own” Ramaswamy’s ad, and argued that “Even if it’s a little bit true, you don’t want her as governor.”

CNN - Trump has repeatedly floated a pardon for convicted child sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.

CNN - The article said Trump’s controversial positions also included tariffs, the Iran war, taxpayer-funded political ads, and his statements about inflation and the economy.

CNN - Trump also argued that Acton’s mother had to be taken “seriously,” despite saying twice that he knew “nothing about” their backstory.

CNN - The article said the 2018 ad featuring six of Rep. Paul Gosar’s siblings did not involve credible abuse allegations.

The Guardian - Trump told supporters, “You’ve got to ride with it,” when describing his advice to Ramaswamy.

CNN - The article said it was too early to assess credible polling on Ohioans’ or Americans’ views of the advertisement.

Alternet - CNN anchor Anderson Cooper mocked Trump’s comments about male politicians’ appearances with the nickname “a--man-in-chief.”

CNN - Trump cited the ad’s political benefit for Ramaswamy as a reason to keep it running, despite Republicans’ objections.

Alternet - Trump said he examined Sen. Jon Husted’s body after learning he played college football, describing Husted’s backside and hands; at a later rally, Trump said, “I examined his a--,” and described his shoulders, feet, jawline and hands.

Alternet - At an appearance in Georgia, Trump called Republican Mike Collins good-looking and said of Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, “I don’t think he’s a good-looking man,” adding, “I’m not sure about Ossoff.”

Alternet - Trump called Kentucky Republican Ed Gallrein a “beautiful guy.”

CNN - Trump told supporters Ramaswamy should leave the ad up, recalling that he said, “You’ve got to ride with it.”

CNN - The article compared the ad with a 2018 ad in which six of Arizona GOP Rep. Paul Gosar’s siblings denounced him; Gosar’s vote share fell from 71% in 2016 to 68% in 2018.

The Guardian - Trump is scheduled to rally in Florida for gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds; Donalds had removed mentions of Trump from his website and barely mentioned him during the race.

CNN - Trump said Ramaswamy had called him for advice on whether to remove the ad and recalled telling him, “Look upstairs and say thank you, God, very much. I appreciate it.”

CNN - Trump praised Acton’s mother for having the “courage” to speak out against her daughter and said he knew “nothing about” their backstory.

CNN - Trump said, “Even if it’s a little bit true, you don’t want her as governor.”

CNN - Ramaswamy trailed by around five points in the average of recent quality polling.

The Washington Post - Bipartisan outrage over Vivek Ramaswamy’s advertisement showed that candidates can fail when trying to emulate President Trump’s brash, sometimes offensive political style.

CBS News Politics - Trump fiercely defended a controversial advertisement at the center of the Ohio gubernatorial race.

ABC News - Hinson strongly condemned Ramaswamy over the ad.

ABC News - Hinson’s criticism put her at odds with Trump.

WHERE:

The Guardian - Trump was traveling to Florida to rally for gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds.

CBS News Politics - The ad was at the center of Ohio’s gubernatorial race.

ABC News - Ramaswamy’s race was for governor of Ohio; Hinson was an Iowa Senate candidate.

WHEN:

Alternet - Trump made the comments about Husted at rallies five days apart.

WHY:

ABC News - Acton alleged her mother’s second husband molested her from age 9 to 12; he was criminally charged, pleaded not guilty, fled the state with her mother before trial, and never appeared before a judge.

The Washington Post - The article said Trump’s brash political style has shaped the Republican Party for a decade, while bipartisan backlash to Ramaswamy’s ad illustrated the limits of candidates trying to imitate it.

CNN - The article noted that a comparable shift to the 2018 Gosar ad’s vote-share change might not be enough for Ramaswamy, who trailed by around five points in recent quality-poll averages.

CNN - The article said the ad risked damaging the Republican Party’s broader image and provoking an intraparty feud less than two weeks before the election.

CNN - Acton said she had not seen her mother since she was 12, when her mother lost custody of her children and the man she married was indicted for allegedly sexually abusing Acton.

The Washington Post - Ramaswamy’s advertisement prompted bipartisan outrage because it featured his opponent’s estranged mother.

HOW:

ABC News - Trump defended the ad as Acton’s mother criticizing her and dismissed questions about the abuse allegations.

NBC News Politics - NBC correspondent Garrett Haake reported that Trump encouraged Ramaswamy to keep the ad on air.

CBS News Politics - CBS correspondent Weijia Jiang reported that Trump defended the advertisement.

ABC News - The advertisement featured Acton’s estranged mother.

(UPDATED October 24, 2026 00:06 UTC)

President Trump is backing a controversial Ohio campaign ad by Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, urging him to keep it on the air and telling supporters the party should “own” it. The ad features Amy Acton’s estranged mother, Donna Arthur, accusing her daughter of lying about her past. Acton has said her mother’s husband sexually abused her as a child; he was charged but never stood trial. Trump called Arthur courageous and said the ad was fair game, despite acknowledging he knew nothing about their history. Ramaswamy says the ad is not about childhood abuse. Iowa Senate candidate Ashley Hinson called it “absolutely terrible,” and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Senator Jon Husted and other Republicans also criticized it. Trump called DeWine disloyal. Ramaswamy trails by about five points in recent polling, while the backlash raises concerns about party divisions and the ad’s impact on Republicans.

(UPDATED October 23, 2026 18:14 UTC)

President Trump is urging Republicans to stand behind Vivek Ramaswamy’s controversial Ohio governor campaign ad, which features opponent Amy Acton’s estranged mother. Trump said Ramaswamy should keep it on air, arguing that even if the claims are partly true, voters should not elect Acton. Acton says she has not seen her mother since childhood and has said the woman’s husband was indicted for allegedly abusing her. Iowa Senate candidate Ashley Hinson called the ad terrible and said Acton should not have to relive the trauma; Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Senator Jon Husted also criticized it. Trump attacked DeWine as disloyal and praised Acton’s mother, despite saying he knew nothing about their history. The ad has drawn bipartisan outrage, while Ramaswamy trails by about five points in recent polling. Separately, Trump has made repeated remarks about male politicians’ looks, prompting Fox host Jesse Watters to say they sometimes sound gay.

(UPDATED October 23, 2026 17:22 UTC)

President Trump is defending a controversial Ohio campaign ad by Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, despite bipartisan criticism. The ad features the estranged mother of Ramaswamy’s opponent, Amy Acton, who says she has not seen her mother since age 12. Trump praised the mother’s decision to speak out, while acknowledging twice that he knew nothing about their history. He urged Ramaswamy to keep the ad running, saying, “You’ve got to ride with it,” and argued that even partly true allegations should disqualify Acton from becoming governor. Iowa Senate candidate Ashley Hinson called the ad “absolutely terrible,” saying Acton should not have to relive trauma. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Senator Jon Husted also criticized it, prompting Trump to call DeWine disloyal. Ramaswamy is trailing by about five points in recent polling, and the dispute risks deepening divisions among Republicans.

(UPDATED October 23, 2026 16:14 UTC)

President Trump is defending a controversial Ohio campaign ad by Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, urging him to keep it on the air despite bipartisan criticism. The ad features the estranged mother of Ramaswamy’s opponent, Amy Acton, who said she has not seen her mother since childhood. Trump praised the mother for speaking out and argued that even if the allegations were partly true, Acton should not be governor. Iowa Senate candidate Ashley Hinson called the ad terrible, saying Acton should not have to relive the trauma; Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Senator Jon Husted also objected. Trump called DeWine disloyal and pressed Republicans to support the ad, citing its potential political benefit. Ramaswamy was trailing by about five points in recent polling, while analysts said it was too early to gauge voters’ reactions. The controversy has fueled concerns about a wider Republican feud and the party’s image.

(UPDATED October 23, 2026 15:20 UTC)

President Trump is defending a controversial Ohio campaign ad by Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, urging him to keep it on air despite bipartisan criticism. The ad features the estranged mother of Ramaswamy’s opponent, Amy Acton, and Trump praised her for speaking against her daughter. Acton has said she has not seen her mother since she was 12, after her mother lost custody of her children. Iowa Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson called the ad “absolutely terrible,” saying Acton should not have to relive that trauma. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Senator Jon Husted also criticized the ad, prompting Trump to call DeWine disloyal. Trump has meanwhile made repeated comments about male politicians’ looks, praising some Republicans and mocking Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff. Ramaswamy trails by around five points in recent polling.

(UPDATED October 23, 2026 14:20 UTC)

President Trump is defending a controversial Ohio campaign ad by Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, even as Republicans from both parties condemn it. The ad features the estranged mother of Ramaswamy’s opponent, Amy Acton, who says she has not seen her mother since she was 12. Trump urged Ramaswamy to keep the ad up, praised the mother’s “courage,” and said voters should reject Acton even if the allegations were “a little bit true.” Iowa Senate candidate Ashley Hinson called the ad “absolutely terrible,” saying Acton should not have to relive that trauma. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Senator Jon Husted also criticized it, prompting Trump to call DeWine disloyal. Ramaswamy is trailing by around five points in recent polling. Separately, Trump has drawn attention at rallies for commenting on Republican candidates’ looks and describing Husted’s body after learning he played college football.

(UPDATED October 23, 2026 13:18 UTC)

President Trump is urging Vivek Ramaswamy to keep a controversial campaign ad in Ohio’s governor’s race, despite bipartisan criticism. The ad features Amy Acton’s estranged mother speaking against her daughter. Acton says she has not seen her mother since age 12, after her mother lost custody and Acton’s stepfather was indicted for allegedly sexually abusing her. Trump said Ramaswamy had called for advice and told him to leave the ad up, adding that even if its claims were partly true, Acton should not be governor. Iowa Senate candidate Ashley Hinson called the ad “absolutely terrible” and said Acton should not have to relive the trauma. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Senator Jon Husted also criticized it, prompting Trump to call DeWine disloyal. Ramaswamy is trailing by about five points in recent quality polls.

(UPDATED October 23, 2026 10:06 UTC)

President Trump is defending a controversial ad in Ohio’s governor’s race that features Amy Acton’s estranged mother speaking against her daughter. Trump said Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy had called him for advice about whether to pull the ad. He recalled telling Ramaswamy to thank God for the opportunity, and praised the mother’s “courage,” while saying he knew nothing about their family history. Acton has said she has not seen her mother since she was 12, after her mother lost custody of her children; the man her mother married was indicted for allegedly sexually abusing Acton. Trump also said, “Even if it’s a little bit true, you don’t want her as governor.” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Sen. Jon Husted criticized the ad, as did Iowa Senate candidate Ashley Hinson. Ramaswamy is trailing by about five points in recent quality polls.

(UPDATED October 23, 2026 08:11 UTC)

President Trump strongly defended a controversial advertisement by Vivek Ramaswamy, a Republican running for governor of Ohio. The ad featured the estranged mother of Ramaswamy’s opponent, Amy Acton, and prompted outrage from both parties. The backlash has highlighted the risks for candidates who try to copy Trump’s brash, sometimes offensive political style. Iowa Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson sharply condemned Ramaswamy over the advertisement, putting her at odds with Trump. The controversy has become a central issue in Ohio’s gubernatorial race, while Hinson is campaigning in a separate race in Iowa. Trump’s defense of the ad contrasts with the criticism from Hinson and others, underscoring how the tactic has drawn condemnation across party lines. The dispute centers on the decision to feature Acton’s estranged mother in a political advertisement.

(UPDATED October 23, 2026 01:33 UTC)

President Trump is fiercely defending a controversial advertisement in Ohio’s gubernatorial race, putting him at odds with Iowa Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson. Hinson sharply criticized Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican candidate for governor of Ohio, over the ad. The advertisement featured Amy Acton’s estranged mother; Acton is Ramaswamy’s opponent in the race. Hinson strongly condemned Ramaswamy’s use of the ad, while Trump stood by it. Her criticism has created a political split with the president over a campaign issue in Ohio. The dispute connects a governor’s contest in Ohio with a Senate campaign in Iowa, as Hinson weighs in on Ramaswamy’s approach. Trump’s defense and Hinson’s rebuke put differing Republican views of the advertisement in the spotlight.