Vivek Ramaswamy's top moments from his CNN townhall
Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy participated in a town hall with CNN Wednesday evening.
Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy had a blunt response to the criticisms hurled by CNN commentator Van Jones, who called him an "American demagogue."
Following the fourth GOP debate earlier this month, Jones laid into Ramaswamy's comments invoking Jan. 6 and accusations that Democrats support the dubbed "Great Replacement Theory," calling the 38-year-old biotech entrepreneur "dangerous."
"When those people were saying, ‘Jews will not replace us, Jews will not replace us,’ that slogan sits on top of a very sick and twisted view that if you bring enough people of color here, we are so deficient, we are so stupid, we are so unwanted that we will be zombies to fill out the ranks for some Democratic Party agenda, that Jewish people are manipulating and driving forward - that leads to violence, that puts at risk Jewish people, that puts at risk people of color," Jones said during a CNN panel.
"It is wrong, and the smug, condescending way that he just spews his poison out is very, very dangerous, because he won’t stop Trump but he’s gonna outlive Trump by about 50 years, and you’re watching the rise of an American demagogue that is a very, very despicable person. Literally, I was shaking listening to him talk because a lot of people don’t know that is one step away from Nazi propaganda coming out of his mouth."
CNN commentator Van Jones blasted White House hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy for comments he made at the fourth GOP debate, calling him a "very despicable person." (REUTERS/Mike Segar)
Ramaswamy fired back during his speech at a Turning Point USA conference on Sunday, recalling the comments he made at the debate.
"You got this character Van Jones on CNN afterwards saying, 'This is the rise of an American demagogue who's gonna live 50 years longer than Trump. This is dangerous. I am shaking.' That's what he says. Just shut the f--- up," Ramaswamy exclaimed to a roaring crowd. "At a certain point, just shut the f--- up."
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GOP hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy offered a fiery response to Jones' comments, telling him "just shut the f--- up." ( Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
This isn't the first time the GOP hopeful has had a dust-up with CNN. Last week, he sparred with CNN anchor Abby Phillip at an Iowa town hall after she attempted to press him on his explosive debate remarks, specifically his claim that Jan. 6 was an "inside job."
As Ramaswamy accused the government of systemically lying in recent years and claimed that federal agents were within the crowd on Jan. 6, he mocked Phillip's interruptions as proof that "the establishment doesn't approve this message."
"I know it's very uncomfortable for you. I know this is an uncomfortable issue for many people, but we have to do the truth here," Ramaswamy told the CNN anchor.
Ramaswamy's comments were repeatedly welcomed with applause by the GOP-friendly audience as Phillip continued sparring with the White House hopeful.
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GOP hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy had a fiery exchange with CNN's Abby Phillip over Jan. 6 at an Iowa town hall. (Screenshot/CNN)
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Ramaswamy is hoping to defy expectations at the Iowa Caucus next month as he vies for the GOP nomination.
The RealClearPolitics average of polls shows him trailing at 5.3% behind former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley at 15.8%, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 20% and former President Trump, who continues to dominate the field with a whopping 52% support among primary voters.