Former Republican Presidential Candidate Vivek Ramaswamy Criticized For Calling Americans ‘Mediocre’

Vivek Ramaswamy is a first-generation American whose father is not a U.S. citizen, per his own account.

In so many words, former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy suggested that American culture values mediocrity over excellence to defend why tech companies look to hire workers overseas. Now, he’s catching heavy backlash – even from within his own party.

“There is nothing wrong with American workers or American culture. All you have to do is look at the border and see how many want what we have,” his former presidential opponent, Nikki Haley, stated. “We should be investing and prioritizing in Americans, not foreign workers.”

What sparked the criticism was his comments on Dec. 26. He took to X and said, “The reason top tech companies often hire foreign-born & first-generation engineers over ‘native’ Americans isn’t because of an innate American IQ deficit (a lazy & wrong explanation). A key part of it comes down to the c-word: culture.”

Ramaswamy is a first-generation American whose father is not a U.S. citizen, per his own account.

He goes on, “Our American culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence for way too long (at least since the 90s and likely longer).”

His comments come as both he and former undocumented immigrant and billionaire Elon Musk support H-1B visas over the training and hiring of American workers. President-elect Trump appointed Ramaswamy and Musk to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The new department will reportedly advise the Trump administration on how best to “reduce wasteful federal spending.”

“Turns out the ‘waste’ that DOGE wanted to cut from America was Americans,” X User Auron Macintyre said under Ramasway’s comments on X.

“So basically, tech bros prefer foreign-born workers because they’re willing to work 90 hours per week rather than having a work/life balance. Got it,” X user Brenden Dilley adds.

Meanwhile, Conservative radio host John Cardillo called Ramaswamy’s post “one of the most offensive things I’ve read. America and Americans are not mediocre. India is a filthy third-world hellscape. If it’s so exceptional, why doesn’t its tech talent want to stay there?”

This is one of the most offensive things I’ve read.

America and Americans are not mediocre.

India is a filthy third world hellscape.

If it’s so exceptional, why doesn’t its tech talent want to stay there? https://t.co/fZZIXKOIpb
— John Cardillo (@johncardillo) December 26, 2024