Vivek Ramaswamy was criticized Monday for “mansplaining” to CNN host Kaitlan Collins while repeating her name multiple times for effect. (Watch the video below.)
“Kaitlan, Kaitlan, Kaitlan, Kaitlan, Kaitlan,” Ramaswamy admonished in what viewers described on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, as a “condescending” and “demeaning” tone.
The Republican presidential candidate had taken umbrage at Collins noting a previous comment of his about individually arming Taiwanese households against China.
“Do you really think that would be a sufficient plan to deter a Chinese invasion if it includes long-range missiles, ground troops, an aerial blockade, a naval blockade?” Collins asked.
“Kaitlan, Kaitlan, Kaitlan, Kaitlan, Kaitlan! Of course it’s not sufficient,” Ramaswamy said. “You take that tiny little clip when I articulated at the Nixon Library last week a one-hour speech with a whole range of deterrents. That is part of it, but I’ve also said that I would pull Russia out of its military alliance with China. I’ve also said that we would bolster our partnership with India.”
“Yes, part of this is turning Taiwan into a porcupine,” continued Ramaswamy, who’s slated to participate in the first GOP debate on Wednesday. “I think exporting our Second Amendment is a relatively free or low-cost way to do that. But I find it laughable that you will take that clip and then put words into my mouth as though that was a sufficient deterrent. Kaitlan, with due respect, that’s a joke, especially when I’ve offered as expansive of a deterrent strategy as I have.”
“It’s not putting words into your mouth and it’s not saying that you didn’t say those other things,” she replied.
“I never said it was sufficient,” Ramaswamy said after cutting her off. “I never said it was sufficient. ... This is really funny, Kaitlan. It’s been very educational for me to learn how media works.”
The two continued to battle and Ramaswamy repeatedly accused her of journalistic chicanery and putting words in his mouth.
“Kaitlan, you might be able to do this trick better with other candidates who don’t really know how to respond to the game,” he said, per Mediaite.
His dismissive tone rubbed many the wrong way.